Have been here before, but seeing an LA in a Minute posted on X, I needed to drop by again. This is a great, old-school lunch counter that happens to serve great chili. Ordered the ULTIMATE CHILI DOG Bacon-wrapped dog, topped with chili, American cheese, chopped onions, mustard, spicy sweet pickles and Fritos combo which included fries and a drink. The food was great and the facility clean. We were treated right away, and service was a bit slower than normal due to training and computer hiccups. Once that was squared away, the staff was friendly and attentive. This is a place worth more visits. read more

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Love this place! Food is great. Still the same ole chili recipe. Incredible vibe. You go back in time. So much character to the place. Claudine was great too. Highly recommend it! read more

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I love that this gem exists. The server who also made the orders was a gem. I scour LA to find vintage places that still exist and try to patronize as much as I can. They also own the bar next door, but it wasn't open yet when we were there. The positives: The food is ALL made in house without seed oils of any kind. The service was great and attentive. I hate single use plastic. I may not go to a place if they use plastic cups, silverware, plates, etc. The owner(s) go out of their way to create a pre-plastic restaurant experience and honor the time period. The only thing plastic was our drinking glasses. It is nice to see a lot of regulars patronizing who looked like they been going for decades. The negatives: This place is a gem, but it needs restoring in the worst way. The stools are in bad need of reupholstering and one of the stools was just completely broken and unusable. It just looked unsanitary. Some of the wainscoting on the wall was falling off, and there was some cheap covering on the ceiling covering some hole. Yes, these are aesthetics, but is part of the overall experience. I wish they would put the care into upkeep of the public space that is used. read more

Let's come to Burbank's oldest continuously operating restaurant for their chili recipe. I had: 1. Chicken tenders and fries 2. Chili spaghetti and beans with oyster crackers - it's sooo spicy! 3. Chili hot dog 4. Soda 5. Lemon pie read more

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I mean, come on. You know they have great chili. That's obvious. But you have to try one the best slices of pie that I've had in Los Angeles. The lemon creme is made in house spent it he crust! OMG it's so fluffy and flavorful I want more in my mouth!!!! read more

FOOD I got the build your own chili with spicy beef over spaghetti. There was such a large pool of oil at the bottom that I couldn't finish it. It would be fine if I couldn't taste the oil, but I could in every bite. Especially since it didn't mix with the sour cream. The bowl looked small, but it's super filling. I also got the chili cheese fries and it did feel too oily at the end after the fries soaked up all the chili oil. The fries were so well fried though To note, this was the first time I've ever had chili so I don't know if this is a standard chili experience haha SERVICE One of the male servers was a bit grumpy. Not sure why to be honest AMBIANCE Very traditional diner vibes. Small parking lot in the back read more

Chili John's - American Near Me - Burbank, California

Chili John's didn't disappoint , its great American dive chili parlor and I love it. Flew into Burbank and needed a food fix so headed over for some chili & dog! Man this place doesn't looked to evolve since it opened. Nice horseshoe counter bar seating maybe 20 people at best. The punk rock element made me feel at home. A darling young lady greeted me and evacuated my order which was chili & rice with a side hotdog. Since I'm a huge chili & rice fan I was ecstatic to have it on a menu. My dog tasted great and yes I only have mustard only ( Dirty Harry style )! Wasn't a fan so much of bunch since it was a skinny dog but after stripping some extra breading off it tasted like a hot dog with mustard, DELICIOUS! Gotta give the counter girl some kudos. She was very attentive in my happiness and my meal. She even wanted to trade a chili John's baseball hat for my Louis Vuitton hat but that was a no deal... LOL Defiantly will stop in for another bowl and maybe a chili dog.... Ya I think I'll grab a chili dog for sure but that's another story. Make sure you tip heavy and enjoy your food & experience ! read more

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Soft opening for this new tap room and comfort food spot adjoining the world famous Chili John's! Same owners and real nice, local folks over seeing the drinks and food. Beer, wine and seltzers for now. Open Fri & Sat 4pm - midnight. The Taproom offers an elevated menu with options like charcuterie selections, burrata salad, seared salmon and desserts. Happily, I could still get a bowl of chicken chili - YUM! And Hubs went slightly fancy(for him, anyway), trying the grilled Gruyère w/bacon jam and grilled onions. To drink, we went with seltzers from nearby Brewyard Beer Company, brewed and canned in Glendale. My Calamansi was a refreshing lime and Hubs tried and enjoyed the mango. For now, the soft opening, there's intimate seating at the tap bar, 5 seats. 3 tables accommodate 4 people each. Outside are 4 tables of 4 seats. This is a charming little spot and I look forward to seeing it grow. Come spend some time at The Taproom @ Chili John's and tell 'em "CC" sent you. Cheers! " read more

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What I Ordered:  -Chili Dog $12.50  -Spicy Beef Chili with Spaghetti(12 oz) $10.95  -Cheese and Sour Cream $1.50 -Dr Pepper $3.95 -The Weeny $6.59  Total $35.49 plus tax I was doing my Chili Dog tour of Burbank. This was my second stop of the day, as I had eaten at Larry's earlier in the morning. I came here a bit on the early side and was let inside early, which is always nice. I spoke with the owner, and he was very friendly and gave me the spiel about their history. He gave me some recommendations on what to order and what to drink. I opted for the Dr Pepper that they get exclusively from Texas with real cane sugar. He starts telling me about how he and his wife have a health food background and how they transformed the menu at Chili John's. That's where he lost me! I came here for unhealthy food, not healthy food. Some people want the healthy hot dogs and buns made with healthy oils and all that jazz. I guess I went in blind, not knowing about the healthy ingredients. I wouldn't have gone there had I known that. I like going to historical places that have been in business for a long time where they've been serving up dishes since they opened, but altering the original recipe with all healthy ingredients is not for me. I came here in March before the Times article came out. I hope this business can stay open and they can get more customers in through the door. I wish them all the success in the world. I wouldn't be back anytime soon. The Chili Dog was not bad, all things considered, but the one I had a Larry's was better. Perhaps it's not fair to compare one to the other when one is made with healthy ingredients. It is what it is. When in Rome, I tried the skyline type chili with the spaghetti and it was too oily. I seriously felt the heartburn coming on. I think they need to re-evaluate their menu and consider putting on some original menu items to give customers a variety of options. Something for everyone! It's also been featured in a few shows and movies such as Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood and Twin Peaks. Guy Fieri was here for Tripe D too! Honestly, I love Chili John's cool aesthetic, good stories and nice signage. I also appreciate the preservation of landmarks like this. The U-shaped counter really isn't something you see very often nowadays. But honestly, their menu selection does not include any good-tasting food. I hate to be harsh here, but this is my personal opinion. read more

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What a wonderful place.A diner from my childhood The chili is so unique, pie wonderful and those chil dogs wow read more

I lived on Lamer St just a block away from Chili John's for over 30 years. I tried their chili 4 times in those 30+ years each time about 5-6 years apart. I gave it years between attempts because it was the worst chili I and my wife had ever eaten and we needed time to get over the nauseating greasy, salty flavor that stuck with us. I have to note also that it has NO ACTUAL FLAVOR beyond grease and salt I don't know how they have made such a flavorless chili for 80 years. After a while I'd say to my wife, "Maybe our taste buds were off that day or perhaps they had a bad batch let's try it again" but each time we found it to be the most greasy and salty chili we'd ever eaten. Neither of us could eat more than a few spoons full before the grease and salt got to us and we'd say "Nope it's the chili"! Lately I've been stumbling upon article after article about their closing due to a "steep decline in business" and each story contains this exact quote that has continued to annoy me because I've never seen it and I read it again today 8/4 in yet another article: "While it used to have lines of hungry diners stretching out the door and down Burbank Boulevard, things have really slowed down lately due to fewer and fewer projects being filmed in the area" In the 30+ years that I lived near them, walked by them and drove past them at all hours of the day 7 days a week I NEVER SAW A LINE OUT THE DOOR AND DOWN THE BLOCK! In fact I often wondered if the place was even open weekdays because I rarely saw anyone enter or leave the building and the parking lot only ever had a few cars in it. On a Saturday at peak lunch time I might see 5-6 people at the counter. This past week I was at the Broken Compass Tiki bar across the street from Chili John's and I was telling someone at the bar about the number of articles I keep reading about Johns closing and my experience with their chili when a completely random man sitting next to me interjected with "I've lived here for 40 years and the chili has always been too salty and greasy, I can't eat it" followed by "They never had lines and used to close for 3 month every year over summer"! While we chatted something dawned on us both, while we had each lived and worked in Burbank for decades and knew people who discussed and ate at many old time favorite places in Burbank like Pecos Bills, Talleyrand, The Money Tree, etc. neither of us knew a single neighbor or coworker who ever recommended or mentioned Chili Johns and we were both baffled at how this place has lasted as long as it has. I hate to see long time food places with great physical patina fade away but Chili Johns responding to people noting the lack of flavor, weird meat texture, queasiness and high salt content with: "Our cowboy chili is not for weak stomachs" Is NOT the correct answer in 2025! They would have been in a much better place had they responded to multiple reviews calling out the grease, etc, with a new recipe (while still offering the old style) diversifying the menu (think brisket smoke wafting through the streets that would drive patrons) and updating the interior/lighting/signage that would make it stand out and appear open during the day to the tens of thousands of well paid nonresidents who drive past it daily. read more

Very old time quaint diner vibes. Kind of reminds me of the show Twin Peaks for some reason, maybe the fact that the restaurant is over 100 years old! The servers are friendly, the food is very good! Chocolate malts are bomb here and I HIGHLY recommend the chili cheeseburger!!! I don't even like burgers but this was phenomenal. Onion rings are good and house made ranch is so good and dilly. I went back and got the chili dog lunch special and it's also very good since I love a hot dog w casing. Warning the original spicy chili does have a kick and I do love spicy too, but I might shift to mild next time lol! read more

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The diner experience you've always hoped for. It may not be health food but it's real food. I can recommend the chili dog. Much more complete and well balanced than expected. Delicious. Malts also very good. If you're considering this type of thing, this is the best variant I have experienced. Ask Steve what to get, they clearly care about the food. read more

Chili John's has great chili. The service is very friendly & they help you find the chili that will make you as happy as a clam. The dining room is in a horseshoe shaped counter. Total vintage vibe. There a great mural on the wall. It looks like it's from another age. I love taking friends there. They always have a great time. read more

Best chili dog of all time award! This was the best all around chili dog. All of the ingredients just goes together so well, and everything about it was mouth watering. The bun was buttery, crispy and soft. A good bun is a must. The dog was snappy and flavor packed. The cheese was perfectly gooey. Finally, the chili was one of the best. It was beefy, thick, and delicious. This spot is so nostalgic, and has a long history. Sitting at the counter just makes me feel like a kid again. Love the owner, he was friendly and has a passion for great food. read more

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Est. 1946- The call has gone out - Chili John's is in trouble and in danger of closing. All Locals, Foodies and LA Cultural History buffs need to visit and support Chili John's. With the failing studio industry, the ailing LA restaurant culture and the still lingering affects of covid shutdowns for nearly two years, Chili John's has slashed hours and curtailed the menu, to keep the chili 'on the stove' for as long as it can. Chili John's chili recipe is from the 1800s and was documented and passed down to the current owners. This type of Green Bay, Wisconsin chili was never served by itself, as it was thought to be too spicy and too greasy. It was meant to be poured over another dish (i.e. spaghetti, rice, beans & rice). The original spicy beef chili has some real heat and kick. Don't be fooled, it's legit spicy - good for your sinuses. I had it over rice and beans, with onions, cheese and oyster crackers - very tasty. We also got the build-your-own-chili-dog, with cheese, mustard and onions. This is not really an eat-with-your-hands hotdog. It's big and messy and a knife & fork are recommended. As mentioned, this chili is greasy . . . very greasy. If it takes you out of your comfort zone, I recommend spooning off the excess oil into a glass. On the plus side, the owner states: "Chili John's is the healthiest, most farm-to-table greasy diner food you're going to find anywhere . . the hot dogs are pasture-raised beef from Northern California. They contain no nitrates, no oils, no antibiotics. The bread is made fresh daily by Larder Bakery. They are seed oil-free, preservative-free, artificial flavor and color-free ". To quote a classic western film, 'Now who can argue with that!' Chili John's has good food, friendly service, and a historic legacy. Come out and support, before its ALL GONE. Four thumbs up for Chili John's. read more

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Chili John's has been serving their legendary chili since 1946 in the heart of Burbank!! It still has a bit of vintage charm and it's a trip down memory lane. They're down the street from major Hollywood studios and they've got Old-school diner vibes!! With a U-shape dining counter, it's easy to make friends with those seating next to you. They make their chili in house; simmering for 20 hours. It's the same chili recipe since the 1800s. You can get it with a burger, on a hotdog or in a bowl of spaghetti, rice or beans. Their Chili Cheese Fries is the perfect comfort food!! You can customize your chili: original beef, chicken, turkey or vegetarian 12oz $9.50 16oz $13.50 Cheese and sour cream is an additional $1.25. They have clean ingredients, no artificial preservatives or coloring and use no seed oils!! Lunch Specials Available from 11-3 Chili Dog Lunch Special Chili Dog with mexican soda & a bag of chips $13.95 Chili Spaghetti Lunch Special Regular bowl of chili spaghetti with a mexican soda & a bag of chips $13.95 House made Original Lemon Ice Box or Pineapple Cream pie with graham cracker crust and topped with fresh made whipped cream. read more

Truly the perfect chili dog -- quality ingredients, taste, and structure. The ice box lemon pie is out of this world -- quality ingredients, thoroughly homemade. I can't wait to come back soon! read more

Got a taste of what Chili John's has to offer at a street festival. They were only offering hot dogs/chili dogs. Went with one Chili dog with cheese and raw onions and another chili dog with cheese and mustard. The chili is very meaty and had a good flavor to it. I would like to add a little more spice to it but that's probably something I can do if actually dining at their restaurant. I thought their buns were really soft and not too dense. Not that typical dry bun. So once it starts soaking up that meaty chili that bun gets even better. I like what I had so I need to stop by and get the true Chili John's experience! read more

Chili John's - Chili dog with cheese and onions - American Near Me - Burbank, California

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John's chili is a bit bland and rather disappointing. I was so looking forward to a decent bowl which is a real shame. I had to drive over to Barney's Beanery to get a proper bowl of chili after spending waaay too much on what the menu said was chili but I'm not so sure. Note to Chili John, feel free to DM me, I'm happy to share my grandma's recipe or at least a few cooking tips! Good luck to all in Burbank who stumble into John's!! read more

The chili was about a 3.5/5 which to me is good for what it is... simple chili but the ambience and service was perfect. Don't get me wrong the food is good but nothing to write home about. read more

I've been to Chili John's a few times over the past few years. The first time I went, it was quiet -- like, completely quiet. I was the only person there. This time around, it was packed to the brim. Waited to get a seat at the counter, waited a long time to get served, and yeah, it was clear the staff was slammed. I don't hold that against them. I think it's more a sign of how fast things have shifted since they started getting some attention online. People are showing up now, which is great -- but they're clearly still playing catch-up. I ordered the spicy beef chili over spaghetti, with onions and cheese. I've got a high spice tolerance, so take this with a grain of salt, but I didn't find it spicy at all. I'd honestly love if they leaned into that a little more -- like, offer a truly hot version, or at least make some house hot sauces available. Still tasty, still satisfying. Just not spicy. Service was rough around the edges. I had to wait quite a while even after getting seated, and I'd already finished my drink before my order was taken. But they comped it, which I appreciated. Adam was my server -- he was great, and I remembered him from the Tap Room. Speaking of which -- I went to the Tap Room's soft opening a few weeks back. It's a cool space with a lot of potential, but I can understand why it hasn't gotten the attention it deserves yet. The restaurant is clearly pulling all their energy right now. I'm rooting for both sides of the operation. If there's one thing I wish they'd reconsider, it's the hours. This is late-night food. Greasy, nostalgic, stick-to-your-ribs chili and pie. It just feels like something that should be available at 1am, not 1pm. I get that staffing and logistics are probably huge challenges, but if they ever find a way to swing it, I think it would transform the place. Anyway -- still four stars. It's a place I want to keep coming back to. I want them to succeed. I want them to find their rhythm again. They're not quite there yet, but I believe they will be. They've been around since before Burbank had a zip code, and they deserve to thrive another 75 years. read more

Chili John's - Taken from their Taproom a few weeks prior to my review of the restaurant. - American Near Me - Burbank, California

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Love their chili! If you like Cincinnati style chili, this is your spot. It has a nice diner vibe. The service is great too. The only bad thing is they're closed on Sundays. read more

Perhaps I will need to update my review when I go there, but my brother in law brought some chicken and vegetable chili home and even eating it hours later when I got home from work, the flavor, texture and consistency were hands down phenomenal! read more

This is for The Taproom, which is located next door to Chili Johns. They are open Thurs-Sun. Food is great, especially the Better Than Buffalo Burbank Wings. Highly recommend! Deep fried ice cream is delicious, not heavy and doesnt leave you feeling like you have a rock in your stomach. Service is amazing. read more

Chili John's - Deep fried ice cream - American Near Me - Burbank, California

This is a classic for the media capital of the world. It was built to be an affordable lunch place for the Lockheed employees in the late 40s. It's a small dining area, no tables, just a horse bar top with vats of chili with the server/waiter eager to give you bowl. You can get rice with it to make it a real meal or they have hotdogs and even spaghetti noodles if you like chili spaghetti. This is a simple dish with little to alter other than spice levels and with or without beans. The simplicity of the menu and dining room makes it feel like you're back in 50s. It has changed owners just before the COVID-19 pandemic and they added the taproom next door where you can have a few more options for food and draft beer. I haven't had the chance to try that out but it's a welcome addition to the restaurant. The mural inside of the mountains was done by an old Lockheed employee over long period. It has held up well over the years and is a reminder of the history of chili Johns. This should be an absolute stop for anyone visiting Burbank. read more

Note to current owners: you've strayed. Go back to the original classic recipe, get a soda fountain and not just bottled drinks and you stand a chance. Otherwise you will lose your customer base and won't survive. Something has kept this is was around for 80 years so why change it? read more

What an amazing find with BIG soul! Randomly stumbled upon this place and decided to give it a whirl and I was NOT disappointed by any means. Ordered the burger from the very hospitable staff and while waiting for the food to be made, listened to very wonderful tunes that just fit the moment and energy of the day so perfectly for me that I felt like I was a character in a big budget feature film and the whole thing was for me; got a little teensy weensy teary eyed about just how perfect it really was. Food came out in less than 10 mins and it was super tasty. Heard from other customers that I should really try the chili which makes a lot of sense given the name so I will definitely be a returning customer. Thanks y'all! read more

Great chili! A classic place with historic murals on the walls! A true diner...no tables just sit around the u shaped counter. Enjoy! Been going there since 1970. read more

I love a good old-school diner vibe, and Chili John's in Burbank delivers! The food was the real star -- and I love that they use clean ingredients with no seed oils. I started with their bacon-wrapped hot dog piled high with chili, cheese, and crunchy Frito Lays -- such a fun flavor combo! Then I tried their signature chili over spaghetti -- rich, meaty, and super comforting. They've also got chicken, turkey, and veggie chili options for whatever you're craving. And I had to finish with their fried chicken sandwich -- perfectly crispy, juicy, and full of bold flavor. I'll definitely be back! read more

This place is so cool... if you've been waiting just go right away. They're so nice and friendly and the food is good and inexpensive. Get something with chili in it. I haven't tried the pie yet, but I'll do that next time. read more

I've always wanted to try this place and I finally had the chance to do it! We went in the evening and sat in the tap room on Saturday night. The taproom is the room right next to the old style diner. The diner portion is really quaint and adorable and has a large bar with multiple high seats around it. The tap room has three tables in it and a small bar with 45 high chairs around it as well. For everything on the menu, the pricing is so fair. You could totally try everything on the menu and not break the bank. The servings are good to share and the food is so good. We walked right in and were immediately able to sit down at a table with tools around it. They immediately gave us the rundown of the menu and the service was fantastic. They have pork rinds for the table While you order. They have beers on tap and wine. I only tried beers that night, but they were delicious. There's something special about this place. I have to say I'll definitely be going back. You can have any of the beers made as michellada if you want. We tried the chili It was so delicious. I would highly recommend their spicy chili. You should definitely try it before you knock it even if you don't know if you'd like spicy food. It's that good. I learned this place has been around for so long literally since I think the 50s. We had such a good time trying their pies and their chili and their beers. I'll definitely be going back here. This place would be fun during the day or at night. It would be fun for a date or would be fun for a party. There's not super loud music. There's a couple TVs in the tap room so you can watch sports if there's a game on. You can see the street. It's a very cute view at that part of the street. Lastly, the owners were there when we were present and they were so kind. The staff are so nice. Everyone really seems to care about this place and it made the experience better. It wasn't just good food. It felt like we were out of place that people were proud of. read more

Ok, so bear with me. This place has been opened since 1900. And it truly looks like it. This is a serious greasy spoon. I ordered the mild beef chili cheese fries w/sour cream. These were THE greasiest chili cheese fries I've ever had. Like fries were swimming in grease. And it wasn't from the fries, it was from the chili! The hubby had the medium beef chili with rice and beans. He literally ate about 4 bites and gave up. Super greasy and no seasoning. The waitress was super sweet but I felt so bad cause it was HOT AF in that place. We tried it...but we won't be back. read more

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