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I guess I'll give a one word review... Overrated. Skyline chili was the talk of everybody when we told him we were going to Cincinnati, Ohio. As a Floridian... I'll just say the juice was not worth the squeeze. I'm not sure if the highlight of the restaurant is supposed to be the chili... Because it's not. The chili is actually pretty bad. My wife's said the Publix grocery store makes better chili. For those of you who don't have a Publix nearby... That's kind of like Wendy's. So let me explain a little more... We both ordered the hotdog with cheese and chili. I guess there's a hotdog under there... I guess there's chili under there too... Oh man is there some cheese. They should change this restaurant name to skyline cheese factory. We ordered the cheese/chili fries. Once again... Cheese. Don't get me wrong... I love cheese. But I thought I came here for chili. With a small bit of chili that I could taste... It was just bland, no perceptible meat, no perceptible beans, mushy paste-like chili. I didn't hate the whole meal... I like hotdogs and cheese. But I'll go back to my first word... Overrated. Surprisingly, the restaurant has sit down service. I would've sworn it would just be counter service and you'd walk away or maybe sit at a booth. But, you get a waiter or a waitress. Service was fine. So I must say... If you're visiting Cincinnati, you can do better for lunch.
Vibe: When in Cincinnati, gotta try Skyline Food: Inexpensive, quick, simple Order: Cheese coneys, Cincy Chili, soda Dining: dine in or takeout Service: table service w/a smile Before arrival to Cincy, I was encouraged to seek out one of these restaurants. Rave reviews came along with the recommendation. Though I'm not quite sure why?! Lol. The food was not what I expected, but it wasn't bad at all. The chili is actually spaghetti with LOTS of (freshly) shredded cheese and served with oyster crackers. The coneys are small hotdogs with more of that shredded cheese. The customer service (sit down, brought to table) was nice at what would otherwise be considered fast food. Hours of operation made no sense to me, closing at 2 pm?? Overall, food was decent. I've tried it once and that's all I needed.
There as many regional variations of chili across the USA, with variations in type of meat used, whether or not it includes beans, chunkiness, and the spice mixture used. Cincinnati is well-known for its "Cincinnati-style chili." We dropped into the Skyline Chili on Vine while downtown. (This is a chain. There are other locations in Cincinnati). It was close to closing time, but our server was incredibly patient in helping these tourists to understand what the best order would be to get an authentic Cincinnati experience. The first decision point is whether you want a "coney" (hot dog) or "chili". We chose the latter. In Cincinnati, chili has a sauce-like consistency, and generally includes ground beef, stock, tomato paste, and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cumin) though I can't claim to know Skyline's secret recipe! The second decision point is what "way" you want it served. A "3-way" has the chili served over spaghetti, and topped with a mound of shredded cheddar cheese. A 4-way adds either beans OR onions. A 5-way adds both beans AND onions. As this snack was intended to be just a tasting for us, we shared a regular-sized (800 calorie total) 3-way which cost $7.99. (Other size options were small (400 calories, $5.69) and large (1150 calories, $9.99). Our chili was served with a packet of oyster crackers. Not sure whether they were supposed to be mixed in or eaten separately. I enjoyed the new taste experience for me, and liked the combination of the chili meat sauce over spaghetti. I'm already planning to return to try a coney. My husband, on the other hand, was less impressed, but ate it all. He prefers a chunkier chili con carne, with lots of added goodies and without the spaghetti. The restaurant itself has many fast turnaround tables that were kept clean. The server was friendly and helpful. The restroom was clean. A final note and fun facts. *Skyline has been "proudly serving coneys and ways since 1949." *Cincinnatians consume 2 million+ pounds of chili per year, topped with 850,000 pounds of shredded cheese.
Was visiting, so had to try the famous 5 way before I left! I had to get a taste of everything, so I got the 5 way, coney, and Greek salad. I substituted for the habanero cheese blend for both the coney and the 5 way, and it was a game changer! If you're into spicy, it was the perfect combo. The Greek salad was very tasted and complimented the flavors of the chili really well. The place was a nice vibe and clean, and the waitstaff were quick, friendly and attentive. Did not disappoint!
We came here as a part of our Cincinnati food tour and we were all super happy with the experience! The people are SO KIND and the food is SO GOOD! My husband actually found a recipe for Cincinnati chili that he's been making for a few years now. At this stop we got to learn about the tradition of serving Cincinnati chili over spaghetti noodles and the flavors developed that really separate it from traditional chili. My family and I have always enjoyed this rendition and we were excited to try it from Cincinnati to see if we've been doing it right! I am so glad to say WE HAVE!! Come to my house for dinner and we'll show you a real authentic Cincinnati chili!! Now, thanks to skyline, we'll be eating it on chili dogs now too! SO GOOD!! Service gains 5 stars, food freshness and quality gains 5 stars, cleanliness, ambiance... all 5 stars!! Thanks for a great experience guys!!
When in Cincinnati .... I actually like the occasional Cincinnati-style chili and have even made it from a recipe before. I know others prefer Texas style but I can do both. This location was a few blocks from my hotel so I stopped by for lunch on a Thursday. I walked up to the counter and the server asked me if I wanted takeout; I said I was going to eat in and she said to just grab a seat at a table. My server was very friendly and I got a 4-way over spaghetti and a soda. It came out very quick, was filling, and was inexpensive. They told me my receipt had a link to a survey that I could redeem for free food but I did not take the survey. Glad I stopped in.
I love Cincinnati chili! I love Skyline! We stopped in for a quick lunch and it was actually quick. Our server was very friendly. Our food came out super fast. It was tasty as always. The price was very fair. The eating area was clean. The restrooms were clean. I bought a t-shirt. The entire experience was pleasant.
Long, long, so long ago I worked in northern Michigan for a certain global consumer products corporation headquartered in Cincinnati. I went to a party and was served this dish by the hosts that they called "Cincinnati Chili". I did not like it. However, I was also, young, ignorant, untraveled, and had no palate for anything not grown on my parents' farm. I promised the hosts I'd try the dish again when I visited Cincinnati. Decades, literally several decades later I kept my promise. This is my first time in Cincinnati. (I love how the city is honoring its old history and architecture while growing and revitalizing.) I told my wife that we HAD to visit Skyline Chili during our brief stay. It's ubiquitous in this region but truly unknown elsewhere. This Skyline location was just a short walk from our hotel. We each had a Regular "4-Way" with onions. We also asked for the hot sauce and were served oyster crackers. It..wasn't bad...actually the more I ate the more I enjoyed it. The chili is mild, more of a meat sauce for the spaghetti in my view, so the hot sauce adds a well-deserved kick. And the cheese, so much cheese! But very tasty. My wife thought the plate was on the smallish side when she saw it but then realized how filling it was. We debated how to rate Skyline. Look, this isn't fine dining by any stretch. But it's priced equivalent to fast food franchises. And when you compare this meal to those places, it stacks very well both in flavor and in value. For a few dollars you'll walk away satisfied and full. Those from Cincinnati are more than familiar with Skyline Chili and will likely never read this review. But for those of us from elsewhere, please try this the next time you're in the area.
2 months ago
Came into town for the Flying Pig marathon. Stopped in to try the fire bombs. Wow!! So good. Renee provided outstanding customer service. Highly recommend this location. read more
10 days ago
8 months ago
I would go back to Cinci for the chili alone! This stuff was bomb. A few locals, current and former, recommended this place. I didn't expect too much considering its fast food, but it was delicious. To top it off the service was great! Everyone working was friendly and attentive. They knew we were chili newbies and walked us through everything. read more
1 year ago
3 months ago
1 year ago
4 months ago
2 years ago
I guess I'll give a one word review... Overrated. Skyline chili was the talk of everybody when we told him we were going to Cincinnati, Ohio. As a Floridian... I'll just say the juice was not worth the squeeze. I'm not sure if the highlight of the restaurant is supposed to be the chili... Because it's not. The chili is actually pretty bad. My wife's said the Publix grocery store makes better chili. For those of you who don't have a Publix nearby... That's kind of like Wendy's. So let me explain a little more... We both ordered the hotdog with cheese and chili. I guess there's a hotdog under there... I guess there's chili under there too... Oh man is there some cheese. They should change this restaurant name to skyline cheese factory. We ordered the cheese/chili fries. Once again... Cheese. Don't get me wrong... I love cheese. But I thought I came here for chili. With a small bit of chili that I could taste... It was just bland, no perceptible meat, no perceptible beans, mushy paste-like chili. I didn't hate the whole meal... I like hotdogs and cheese. But I'll go back to my first word... Overrated. Surprisingly, the restaurant has sit down service. I would've sworn it would just be counter service and you'd walk away or maybe sit at a booth. But, you get a waiter or a waitress. Service was fine. So I must say... If you're visiting Cincinnati, you can do better for lunch. read more
Vibe: When in Cincinnati, gotta try Skyline Food: Inexpensive, quick, simple Order: Cheese coneys, Cincy Chili, soda Dining: dine in or takeout Service: table service w/a smile Before arrival to Cincy, I was encouraged to seek out one of these restaurants. Rave reviews came along with the recommendation. Though I'm not quite sure why?! Lol. The food was not what I expected, but it wasn't bad at all. The chili is actually spaghetti with LOTS of (freshly) shredded cheese and served with oyster crackers. The coneys are small hotdogs with more of that shredded cheese. The customer service (sit down, brought to table) was nice at what would otherwise be considered fast food. Hours of operation made no sense to me, closing at 2 pm?? Overall, food was decent. I've tried it once and that's all I needed. read more
There as many regional variations of chili across the USA, with variations in type of meat used, whether or not it includes beans, chunkiness, and the spice mixture used. Cincinnati is well-known for its "Cincinnati-style chili." We dropped into the Skyline Chili on Vine while downtown. (This is a chain. There are other locations in Cincinnati). It was close to closing time, but our server was incredibly patient in helping these tourists to understand what the best order would be to get an authentic Cincinnati experience. The first decision point is whether you want a "coney" (hot dog) or "chili". We chose the latter. In Cincinnati, chili has a sauce-like consistency, and generally includes ground beef, stock, tomato paste, and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cumin) though I can't claim to know Skyline's secret recipe! The second decision point is what "way" you want it served. A "3-way" has the chili served over spaghetti, and topped with a mound of shredded cheddar cheese. A 4-way adds either beans OR onions. A 5-way adds both beans AND onions. As this snack was intended to be just a tasting for us, we shared a regular-sized (800 calorie total) 3-way which cost $7.99. (Other size options were small (400 calories, $5.69) and large (1150 calories, $9.99). Our chili was served with a packet of oyster crackers. Not sure whether they were supposed to be mixed in or eaten separately. I enjoyed the new taste experience for me, and liked the combination of the chili meat sauce over spaghetti. I'm already planning to return to try a coney. My husband, on the other hand, was less impressed, but ate it all. He prefers a chunkier chili con carne, with lots of added goodies and without the spaghetti. The restaurant itself has many fast turnaround tables that were kept clean. The server was friendly and helpful. The restroom was clean. A final note and fun facts. *Skyline has been "proudly serving coneys and ways since 1949." *Cincinnatians consume 2 million+ pounds of chili per year, topped with 850,000 pounds of shredded cheese. read more
2 years ago
Streamlined service with a smile. Very enjoyable, glad we stopped on! Chili 4 way regular size was very good, added a bit of hot sauce. Sat at the counter so I could enjoy watching the preparation. It's a 5 star fast food. read more
Was visiting, so had to try the famous 5 way before I left! I had to get a taste of everything, so I got the 5 way, coney, and Greek salad. I substituted for the habanero cheese blend for both the coney and the 5 way, and it was a game changer! If you're into spicy, it was the perfect combo. The Greek salad was very tasted and complimented the flavors of the chili really well. The place was a nice vibe and clean, and the waitstaff were quick, friendly and attentive. Did not disappoint! read more
We came here as a part of our Cincinnati food tour and we were all super happy with the experience! The people are SO KIND and the food is SO GOOD! My husband actually found a recipe for Cincinnati chili that he's been making for a few years now. At this stop we got to learn about the tradition of serving Cincinnati chili over spaghetti noodles and the flavors developed that really separate it from traditional chili. My family and I have always enjoyed this rendition and we were excited to try it from Cincinnati to see if we've been doing it right! I am so glad to say WE HAVE!! Come to my house for dinner and we'll show you a real authentic Cincinnati chili!! Now, thanks to skyline, we'll be eating it on chili dogs now too! SO GOOD!! Service gains 5 stars, food freshness and quality gains 5 stars, cleanliness, ambiance... all 5 stars!! Thanks for a great experience guys!! read more
9 months ago
When in Cincinnati .... I actually like the occasional Cincinnati-style chili and have even made it from a recipe before. I know others prefer Texas style but I can do both. This location was a few blocks from my hotel so I stopped by for lunch on a Thursday. I walked up to the counter and the server asked me if I wanted takeout; I said I was going to eat in and she said to just grab a seat at a table. My server was very friendly and I got a 4-way over spaghetti and a soda. It came out very quick, was filling, and was inexpensive. They told me my receipt had a link to a survey that I could redeem for free food but I did not take the survey. Glad I stopped in. read more
I love Cincinnati chili! I love Skyline! We stopped in for a quick lunch and it was actually quick. Our server was very friendly. Our food came out super fast. It was tasty as always. The price was very fair. The eating area was clean. The restrooms were clean. I bought a t-shirt. The entire experience was pleasant. read more
2 years ago
Long, long, so long ago I worked in northern Michigan for a certain global consumer products corporation headquartered in Cincinnati. I went to a party and was served this dish by the hosts that they called "Cincinnati Chili". I did not like it. However, I was also, young, ignorant, untraveled, and had no palate for anything not grown on my parents' farm. I promised the hosts I'd try the dish again when I visited Cincinnati. Decades, literally several decades later I kept my promise. This is my first time in Cincinnati. (I love how the city is honoring its old history and architecture while growing and revitalizing.) I told my wife that we HAD to visit Skyline Chili during our brief stay. It's ubiquitous in this region but truly unknown elsewhere. This Skyline location was just a short walk from our hotel. We each had a Regular "4-Way" with onions. We also asked for the hot sauce and were served oyster crackers. It..wasn't bad...actually the more I ate the more I enjoyed it. The chili is mild, more of a meat sauce for the spaghetti in my view, so the hot sauce adds a well-deserved kick. And the cheese, so much cheese! But very tasty. My wife thought the plate was on the smallish side when she saw it but then realized how filling it was. We debated how to rate Skyline. Look, this isn't fine dining by any stretch. But it's priced equivalent to fast food franchises. And when you compare this meal to those places, it stacks very well both in flavor and in value. For a few dollars you'll walk away satisfied and full. Those from Cincinnati are more than familiar with Skyline Chili and will likely never read this review. But for those of us from elsewhere, please try this the next time you're in the area. read more
Great service and a fun experience overall. I'm happy we tried this during our trip to Cincy, and it tasted not bad - definitely better than expected! I liked the chili over potatoes a little more than the traditional pasta, but either way you're getting the famous chili with a mountain of cheese. No plans for a re-visit though. read more
10 months ago
1 year ago
8 months ago
Our first time eating Cincinnati chili ever and our server Reetta was absolutely amazing. So kind and welcoming and she really made the experience special. Put some bibs on us for a photo op and just was fun and awesome. The chili was incredible too. Thanks Reetta! read more
Everyone here was very nice and welcoming! We were excited to try the chili spaghetti because it was our first time. The spaghetti was a little over cooked and the chili wasn't the flavor we imagined but as we kept going it grew on us and the fresh cheddar cheese and hit sauce were yummy too. I loved that they gave me a bib and I needed it! read more
7 years ago
Quite the experience! Yes I know, this is a chain specifically for the Cincinnati area, but there is none where I am, and hearing all the stories I had to go here at least once and try it! In the Washington DC area, there is a similar chili restaurant called Hard Times Cafe. There they serve Chili Mac just like Skyline does. They even serve Cincinnati Chili, which I am well aware is different from Texas Chili. It is sweeter and less thick, but still tastes great. So in coming here I got a regular 3-way Chili Mac (that is just cheese, spaghetti, and chili for you newbies). Because I was new, I literally had to wear a bib to make no mess (probably also to point me out to the staff). The food arrived quickly and needless to say it was absolutely delicious. All three components work incredibly well and the cheese, while piled high, never got in the way and really just brought this up from just being pasta and a sweet meat sauce. I will definitely be recommending this to anybody who stops in the area and if by some chance I end up back in Cincinnati, I will be eating here again. read more
3 years ago
omg this place is so cute, service is a little slow but I'm sure it is because of how busy they are. I think my waitress was sweet and had great sperit.overall loved the food Recommended read more
4 years ago
I never had chill and spaghetti together but it was very good friendly staff and the chill is good can't wait to try the chilly dogs read more
6 years ago
I've heard many, many time a out Cincinnati style chili. I finally had a chance to try it and wow. This is great. Noodles with chili on top seems kind of strange or unusual but they are really tasty. 5 cheese with jalapeño is the way to go read more
5 years ago
It's chilli. Cincinnati chili I hear is the best. The service and the chilli was great. I'm going to say the texture of the chilli is a bit strange, reminds me a bit of canned chilli, but it's good. I dont normally enjoy the mountains of cheese on things but this is actually really good. The cheese is not extremely sharp and it tastes great with the chilli. The chilli spices are there and the spaghetti texture was good. Just giving it four stars cause of the texture of the meat in the chilli, maybe I'm too used to the ground beef portions of the Texas chilli I'm normally eating. read more
Review #600! The very first thing I HAD to eat within a couple of hours of arriving in Cincy! I remember Skyline Chili as a kid and that stuff in a can out here just can't compare to actually going there! During a couple of visits there we enjoyed.. - Three Way Cincy (chili onions, and cheese) - Chili Dogs! (yum!) - Chili cheese fries I've always loved the chili dogs, but nothing quite beats the 3 Way Cincy for me! Tasty chili and copious amounts of cheese on top of spaghetti always works for me! I was a little surprised at how little the actual dogs are in the chili dogs. Wish there was a bit more there. Did I mention how generous they are with the cheese?? They just heap it on there....and I love it! Service was always friendly and helpful. Refills were always taken care of in a timely manner. Lots of Reds pics and stuff decorating the place. Can't go wrong there! ;) A visit to Cincy without some Skyline Chili just isn't right. 3 stars. A-OK. read more
4 years ago
Before I can even speak about the dish I must speak about the service. Inviting, warm , organic and possibly one the cleanest diners I have ever seen! Not a fan of the chili but the service makes up for it completely!!!! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
7 years ago
So I'm from California and did not know anything about Cincinnati. We went on a family vacation to Kentucky and decided to make a stop in Cincinnati since it's so close by. I googled places to eat and came to find out Cinci is famous for their chili! I'm not the biggest chili lover so I wasn't all that excited, BUT CINCI FOOD BLOGGERS HAVE SPOKEN, and so I obviously needed to try it out. Not only was the meal extremely affordable, IT ALSO CONVERTED ME INTO A CHILI LOVER. The cheese coneys are super small and I order 2 plus shared the 3-way (spaghetti) and chili cheese fries with my brother. I was so stuffed but I knew I would never be able to get this anywhere else so I ordered another cheese coney to-go for the road. Pro tip: add hot sauce on top, YOU ARE WELCOME read more
7 years ago
Never had Cincinnati Chili before and apparently my friends say if you want to taste the classic, grab one at the Skyline! For a fast-food chain diner the food is good for what it is and the service was very pleasant. We had a waitress name Reetah who was charming and motherly - she tied plastic bibs around our necks that reminded me of my grandmother. My friend and I ordered the chili but in two different styles: I had the 5-Way, which was the classic chili on spaghetti with beans and diced onions while my friend had just the 3-Way aka chili without the extra ingredients. I had a taste of both and I prefer the 3-Way more. The beans in the 5-Way overpowered the chili so if you want to taste that chili more, go for the 3-Way. read more
4 years ago
The food was fresh, nice and hot, not too spicy and seasoned well. The only problem was we ordered a 5 way which comes with sour cream and onions but they gave us 3-ways after we asked to confirm if the order was correct and didn't know until we arrived back to our hotel. The service wasn't bad but needs improvement and the employees were not attentive, with not many customers to serve. read more
5 years ago
As a foreigner (from Arizona), skyline was just incredible. It reminded me of the cafeteria lunches I had throughout elementary and middle school. The sausage in the hotdog tasted like Vienna sausages in a can. This place was fantastic. I'll come back! read more
Stopped in during a drive through Cincinnati because this place is so well known and it was AWESOME! I ordered the meal with 3 hotdogs and chili with cheese to-go and it was still delicious when I made it to Charleston, WV a few hours later. I would definitely go back and try more of the menu! read more
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643 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Downtown
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(513) 241-2020
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Skyline Chili - hotdog - Updated July 2026
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