A Half-Smoke at Ben's Chili Bowl

One place I made sure to check out was Ben Chili’s Bowl. I’ve heard about it and seen it on TV numerous times. I was curious to try a half-smoke. I asked somebody at my hotel how far it was and if I could walk there. Apparently it wasn’t too far and they pointed me towards the right direction. It was about a 20 minute walk.

Lunch at Ben’s Chili Bowl

I arrived at the historic spot and headed inside. It was not too crowded for an early afternoon. I scoped out the table situation and they were all occupied, but I was able to get a seat at the counter.

I’m here!

The ordering counter can get pretty busy and hectic. The ordering process is fast, so have an idea of what you want. It can be intimidating, but everybody was really nice.

Counter

I ordered the half smoke which usually comes with a side of potato chips, but I wanted to try the chili fries. It only took a few minutes. Grab your food and take a seat.

Next!

The chili was pretty good. The fries were okay. The half-smoke was delicious. The local sausage delicacy is a little larger and spicier than a hot dog. It’s a sausage made with coarsely-ground meat of half-pork and half-beef that’s smoked and served with herbs, onions, and chili sauce.

Half-Smoke and Chili Fries

After my hearty lunch, I headed to the National Air and Space Museum. Another field trip! The museum holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. Very cool.