Best Casual Restaurant In US Includes DC Landmark With NoVA Sites

WASHINGTON, DC — It's not fancy, is about to celebrate 61 years in business, and it draws local folks and celebrities through its doors. Now comes a guide from the foodies at The Daily Meal, which has released its 2019 ranking of the 101 Best Casual Restaurants in America, and it includes District favorite Ben's Chili Bowl — the original, not its suburban locations in northern Virginia or Maryland — among hot dog shacks, taco spots, sandwich shops and barbecue joints.

One factor all the restaurants have in common: "These are amazing restaurants where price is no barrier to entry and you’ll feel right at home in jeans," writes the food website.

Its editors said price was the main factor; they looked for venues where diners spend less than $50 for a meal for two. Other criteria included a comfortable and relaxed ambiance, a “destination” status, and a proven reputation and longevity. From a list of more than 500 restaurants nationwide, hundreds of leading culinary authorities were then asked to vote for their favorites, which whittled it down to the 101 Best Casual Restaurants in America.

Ben's Chili Bowl is No. 63 on the list. Here's what the Daily Meal says of the Washington, D.C., joint:

"As bagels and pizza are iconic to New York, so the half-smoke is to Washington, D.C. The celebrity (and presidential) photos on the wall are clear indications of Ben’s Chili Bowl’s city landmark status, and the continuous lines out the door are evidence that the restaurant’s chili cheese dogs are some of the best in the country. But those in the know don’t just order “dogs”; they get the half-smokes, a half-pork, half-beef smoked sausage which is a native D.C. specialty supposedly invented by Ben Ali, the original proprietor, whose sons took over the restaurant after his death. As the U Street Corridor/Shaw neighborhood around it has gentrified, Ben’s remains a more-than-50-year-old bastion of downhome D.C.”

You can find Ben's Chili Bowl at these locations:

• The Original — 1213 U St NW, Washington, DC
• H Street — 1001 H St NE, Washington, DC
• Arlington — 1725 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA
• Reagan National Airport — 1 Aviation Circle, Arlington, VA
• Nats Park — 1500 S Capitol St SE, Washington, DC
• FedEx Field — 1600 FedEx Way, Hyattsville, MD