Ben's Chili Bowl - A Washington, DC Landmark

I stopped past Ben's Chili Bowl last weekend. It is always packed but this day was a good day for getting in and out. Our Dad used to take us there when we were little and I always looked forward to going but I hadn't been inside in a long time. You are bound to see anybody in there and I mean anybody. On historic U St right next to the historic Lincoln Theater. There is so much history to U Street and so many new things going on now, I will do a post on U Street soon.

I always like seeing all the pictures on the walls of all the folks who have been in there over the years. It is truly a Who's Who. They had a History of Ben's Chili Bowl sheet on the counter which I read while my order was being prepared. I had heard that they now have some vegetarian selections and they have a website now too! Go head, Fam!

Check out The History of Ben's Chili Bowl from benschilibowl.com

"It was the summer of 1958. Eisenhower was president. Federal troops were ordered into Little Rock to integrate public schools. Explorer I was launched, as was NASA. The first-ever Grammy Awards were given, and Ella Fitzgerald won two of them. 1958 was also the year Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. published his first book, Stride Towards Freedom. Griffith Stadium was home to the Washington Senators, and 30% of DC’s black population owned homes. Nelson Mandela wed Winnie. And, in 1958, newlyweds Ben and Virginia Ali gave birth to a new enterprise.

 Despite a national business failure rate of 55.9%, the Ali’s used $5,000 to begin renovating a building at 1213 U Street. It had high-arched ceilings, character and plenty of history. Built in 1909, the building first housed a silent movie house, the Minnehaha Theater. Later, Harry Beckley, one of D.C.’s first Black police detectives, converted it into a pool hall. On Aug. 22, 1958, Ben’s Chili Bowl was born.

 It was an exciting time on the U Street corridor, which was then known as “Black Broadway.” Top performers could be found playing sets in clubs along the corridor, as well as eating and just “hanging out” at Ben’s. It was not uncommon to see such luminaries as Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Bessie Smith, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Nat King Cole, Redd Foxx, Dick Gregory, Martin Luther King Jr., or Bill Cosby at “The Bowl.”

 In 1968, the assassination of Dr. King lit a fuse of rage. Riots ensued. Most of the city closed down; Ben’s remained open. Stokely Carmichael of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which was located across the street, obtained special police permission to let Ben’s stay open after curfew to provide food and shelter for activists, firefighters and public servants desperately trying to restore order.

 After the riots, the area declined. Businesses closed. But there was some glimmer of hope in the neighborhood as the concept of “Black is Beautiful” emerged. Ben’s continued to serve an eclectic crowd of regulars. In the 1970’s, black films gained in popularity, and the Lincoln Theatre next door was often packed.

 Still, the riots continued to take their toll. In the late 1970’s and 80’s, drug dealers began peddling heroin in open-air drug markets. The once vibrant street looked and felt whipped. Even so, the flame of hope could not be extinguished. Mayor Marion Barry, Jr. had the vision to build the Frank D. Reeves Municipal Center at 14th and U Streets. For the first time in years, hundreds of new jobs were created on U Street.

 In September 1985, Bill Cosby held a national press conference at Ben’s Chili Bowl to celebrate his number one rated show, thrusting Ben’s into the national limelight. Business improved and things were looking up. But there were more problems ahead. In 1987, construction began for Metro’s Green Line. This section of U Street became nothing more than a 60-foot hole. Business came to a halt overnight. Very few new businesses opened. Ben’s made the decision to stay open with only two employees serving Metro workers and faithful regulars each day. Through more than five years of construction and upheaval, Ben’s managed to survive.
Despite all of the troubling times, Ben’s has had its share of blessings as well. Bill Cosby and hundreds of others attended its 45th anniversary in August 2003. Throughout the years, Ben’s has also been blessed with many awards and accolades: Councilmember Jim Graham named the alley adjacent to Ben’s ‘Ben Ali Way,’ Ben and Virginia were inducted into the D.C. Hall of Fame (May 2001), and in 2004, Ben’s won the prestigious Gallo of Sonoma ‘America’s Classics’ Restaurant Award from the James Beard Foundation. Add to these immense press coverage, including segments on CNN, Oprah, 60 Minutes, Good Morning America, PBS, BET, Food Network, and stories in Washingtonian, Gourmet, Southern Living, The New York Times and The Washington Post, and Ben’s is now recognized world-wide as a the place to eat in Washington to experience the real D.C.

 At present, it seems as though the tough times are behind us, and that the sky is the limit for this Shaw neighborhood. As U Street once again redefines itself, Ben’s looks forward to maintaining its strong community presence. Since 1958, Ben’s has been blessed with the most loyal of customers, and we listened when you said, “whatever you do, never change this place.” After 47 years, Ben’s is the same place it always has been. The counter, booths and stools are all original; the fresh homemade chili is still made with love, using the same secret recipe. Ben’s has made small changes, like adding veggie burgers and veggie chili to the menu, and building a new dining room to better serve large groups, but the feel of Ben’s will never change.

 So where are Ben & Virginia Ali these days? They are both retired (although Virginia has redefined “retirement” – she can be found behind the counter at Ben’s on most days), but their sons, Kamal and Nizam, are carrying on the family business. Please stop in and say hello – you will be greeted with a smile!"