Ben's Chili Bowl

Ben's Chili Bowl is a place to eat or drink in Washington, DC, part of the Washington DC guide. Cost: under $25.

1213 U St NW · Washington, DC

Why you should go…

Ben and Virginia Ali opened this U Street restaurant in 1958, in a building that once held the Minnehaha, a silent movie house. The order to know is the half-smoke topped with chili, alongside chili dogs, chili cheese fries, burgers and milkshakes, with turkey and veggie chili on the menu too. The restaurant stayed open through the 1968 riots, serving police and protesters alike, and the family still runs it.

#half-smoke
#chili dogs
#u street
#historic restaurant

What's around here?

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