Everybody loves Ben’s Chili Bowl…it’s Bill Cosby‘s favorite restaurant and even President Barack Obama showed up with Mayor Adrian Fenty as his guide, wanting to order the iconic Ben‘s food. Well, a couple of months ago Ben’s Chili Bowl decided to up the ante with Ben’s Next Door (and it’s literally next door).
If you’re envisioning more diner-style tables then you’ve got Ben’s Next Door all wrong. It’s more upscale (you can tell the moment you walk) with flat screen TVs at the bar, great cocktails and even an impressive menu.
DC Fab! (with no make up. Be gentle!)
Still wet behind the ears, Ben’s Next Door attracts the normal U Street crowd, which is a little older but you can still see Howard graduate students ordering from their small plates menu. Ben‘s is still working out many of it’s kinks, including finalizing the menu but it’s getting there. We ordered Ben‘s famous chili (vegetarian that didn’t taste like it!), the macaroni and cheese (which was a twist on momma’s traditional mac and cheese) and the ribs (that were well marinated in BBQ sauce).
With two signature cocktails from the menu, the food was a home run. Too bad the food turned ice cold halfway during the meal, which is unfortunate (Yes, I’m one of those people who can’t eat cold food. That’s why God invented fire and microwaves).
The mac and cheese with ribs
Still it was the perfect spot last Friday when I went there for happy hour to waste some time before my interview with electro-pop/soul/funk group J*Davey who was performing with Foreign Exchange at The Black Cat.
Just like everyone says, “you have to visit Ben’s Chili Bowl!”, you have to visit Ben’s Next Door! Good times.
Good review…Most of their front of house management is still pretty new to the job of running a restaurant. I’d give another six months before it’s smooth sailing there.
by Sonya