The Top 10 Chili Joints in Cincinnati

Owner Fadi Khalilieh, whose family previously ran the now-closed JK’s Chili in Madeira, Ohio, adapted their family recipe to launch a food truck in 2013 before establishing a permanent location in early 2022. The Chili Hut adds creative twists to traditional chili parlor dishes, such as the Eden Pork — a cheese coney featuring a spicy mettwurst sausage that pays homage to Cincinnati’s German roots, topped with chili, cheese, and coleslaw — and the Walking Taco, which consists of corn chips layered with chili, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cheese, sour cream, and jalapenos.

Although the city center boasts numerous chili parlors, Blue Ash Chili serves the northern suburbs. Their chili is milder compared to others, but diners can spice it up with a distinctive six-way option that adds fried jalapeno caps. Blue Ash Chili also features chili lasagna, which layers flour and corn tortillas with chili, sour cream, and shredded cheddar. For the adventurous, the No Freakin’ Way Challenge offers a free meal and a T-shirt to anyone who can finish a staggering 5 pounds of chili and spaghetti topped with an additional 2 pounds of cheese and 1 pound of jalapenos.

Pleasant Ridge has welcomed a wave of trendy spots featuring dry-aged beef, floppy New York-style pizza, a cocktail bar inspired by The Shining, and a craft brewery with an impressive barrel-aging program. However, long before these establishments, this neighborhood chili parlor, founded in 1964, became a staple in the area. Known for all the classic chili parlor offerings, Pleasant Ridge Chili particularly stands out for its thick-cut french fries, which are famously served with gravy or topped with chili and cheese. Remember, it’s a cash-only establishment, so stop by an ATM before heading over.

The sign out front features a clock inside a bowl, perfectly summing up the essence of the place: it’s Chili Time. Located in St. Bernard, a blue-collar village surrounded by Cincinnati, this diner maintains the classic ambiance from its 1963 inception. Its noodles are thicker than those at other parlors, and the chili is saltier, beautifully complemented by creamy, hand-shredded cheddar. They also serve a bunless coney, which consists of three hot dogs topped with chili, cheese, mustard, and onions.

No list of Cincinnati chili parlors would be complete without Skyline Chili. While it isn’t the oldest still operating, it is the largest chain, boasting 160 locations across Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Florida. So widespread is its presence that many out-of-towners simply refer to Cincinnati chili as “Skyline.” The chili here is sweeter than most, prompting many diners to enhance it with the house hot sauce, a blend of Tabasco, jalapeno, and cayenne pepper. Skyline’s chili can also be found canned and frozen in many regional grocery stores.

Located in Cincinnati’s blue-collar Camp Washington neighborhood, this namesake chili parlor is among the most celebrated in the city, receiving recognition from the James Beard Foundation as an American Regional Classic and featuring in a Lonnie Mack song. Founded by Greek immigrant Johnny Johnson in 1940, the parlor is now run by his daughter Maria Papakirk, who left a legal career to manage the family business. Their chili is notably spicier and more savory than others, and you should definitely try their distinctive 513-way, which replaces traditional spaghetti with goetta, a crispy fried loaf made from pork and steel-cut oats. Camp Washington Chili is open 24 hours a day, six days a week.

Another establishment with roots tracing back to the original Empress Chili, Price Hill Chili was founded by Sam Beltsos, whose great-great-uncle worked at Empress before starting his own place called Latonia Chili. It was here that Beltsos gained experience before opening Price Hill Chili at the age of 22. Although he has since retired, he still makes occasional visits to the parlor, which is now managed by his son, Steve. Price Hill's chili is milder than that of its competitors and is available in classic varieties, plus a spicy chili cheese mettwurst.

Gold Star is one of the prominent chili chains in Cincinnati, established by the four Daoud brothers. After their immigration from Jordan, they acquired the restaurant Hamburger Heaven in Mount Washington in 1965 and shifted the focus to its existing chili recipe. Now managed by Roger David, the son of one of the founders, Gold Star has grown to 70 locations, offering distinctive dishes like the Gorito, a flour tortilla filled with chili, cheddar, chipotle ranch dressing, and Fritos. They also provide a vegetarian chili made with Beyond Meat.

Macedonian immigrant Nicholas Sarakatsannis mastered the chili craft at Cincinnati’s original parlor, Empress Chili, before creating his own recipe and opening Dixie Chili across the river in Newport, Kentucky. Now, his sons Panny and Spiros Sarakatsannis run three locations in Kentucky, producing 150 gallons of chili daily. The family serves their recipe in classic styles, but also on salads, baked potatoes, in soups, and in a six-way that incorporates fresh-chopped garlic into the standard five-way.

Empress Chili is the origin of it all. Established in 1922, this parlor catered to the performers and guests of the Empress Theatre in downtown Cincinnati, which inspired its name. Although the original site has closed, the legacy continues at a location in Alexandria, Kentucky. The Papakirk family, known for Camp Washington Chili, took over Empress in 2012 and preserved the original recipe. In February 2020, they sold it to Alexandria local Steve Martin. A standout item on the menu is the chili pizza, featuring a crust topped with mustard, onions, chili, and cheese.