9 Nasty Truths About Your Favorite Foods
Famous Death Row Last Meals
 |
| Photo: Alicia Griffin/flickr |
Ali founded the landmark eatery on U Street with his wife, Virginia, during the Eisenhower administration, and it's become a hangout for presidents -- President Obama visited on Jan. 10 -- and entertainers -- Bill Cosby, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. Cosby was the only person to get a free meal at Ben's until Obama's election, when Ben's put up this sign in the window: "Who eats free at Ben's: _Bill Cosby _The Obama Family," the Associated Press reports.
The restaurant is renowned for its chili "half smokes" -- beef sausages larger than the average hot dog that are smothered in chili -- as well as its bowls of chili. The James Beard Foundation named Ben's Chili Bowl an "American Classic" in 2004. And the menu, Gourmet.com notes, isn't for the faint of heart. "Our chili will make a dog bark," it begins.
According to the diner's history, the Alis started the restaurant in 1958 in an old theater in D.C.'s black entertainment district with a $5,000 investment. Ben's Chili Bowl went on to weather the neighborhood's near destruction during the riots that followed Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in 1968 to become one of the city's most successful black enterprises.
"It has witnessed the rise, fall and resurrection of U Street and is probably the only business on this strip that survived both the 1968 riots and the construction phase of the Metro Green Line," the Washington Post wrote in a restaurant review.
Ali died Wednesday of natural causes with his wife by his side, the restaurant said on its Web site. His sons now run the restaurant.
Do you have any favorite Ben's Chili Bowl moments? Share in the comments below.
[Via Associated Press]
| I eat there all the time. | |
|---|---|
| Been there once or twice. | |
| Never tried it. |
SLIDESHOW: Tattoos That Go Way Beyond Your Average Tramp Stamp
Rodents Run Amok at Upstate New York Walmart
PHOTOS: Most And Least Christian States In America
America's 10 Highest-Paid CEOs of 2011 (and How They Earned It)
What Happened When Alex Kenjeev Paid His Student Loan in Cash
VIDEO, PHOTOS: Naked Face Eater Identified
What's a Realistic Retirement Age?
Carrie Underwood's Grunge Rock Past: 'I Was All About Pearl Jam'
Yale Student Killed In Crash Days After Graduating
I'm A Successful Entrepreneur But Might Get Deported
Farmers Hit the Jackpot in Kansas Oil Boom
America's 10 Best National Parks
Mary J. Blige, Charity Lawsuit: Singer's Foundation Sued for Failing to Repay $250K Loan
Safeway Worker Stops Man From Beating Pregnant Woman, Gets Suspended
LOOK: Inside Honduras' Deadly Prisons
Editorial: Despite shaky 48 fps Hobbit preview, high frame rates will take off
PHOTOS: Nicole Scherzinger Almost Reveals Too Much
Will You Be My Facebook Friend? No.
'Cannibal' Attack: Naked Man Shot Dead In Miami 'As He Chewed Victim's Face' (VIDEO, PICTURES)
Boy Locked In Filthy Coal Bunker Every Night For A Year
Eight-Year-Old Upset After Teacher Gave Her The Biggest 'Catastrophe' Award
VIDEO: 'The Guy Was Tearing Him To Pieces With His Mouth'
Blood Found In Missing Girl's Bedroom
NSFW PHOTOS: A Little Too Much Of A Rear View
PHOTOS: Americans Honor Troops On Memorial Day Weekend
MSNBC Host Says He's 'Uncomfortable' Calling Soldiers Killed In Action 'Heroes'
Another Deadly Northern Italian Earthquake
FREE FALLING
Police Arrest Parents Of Six Children Killed In Derby House Fire
60 Recipes For Pie Lovers
When Jenny Was Still From The Block
Travel + Leisure: PHOTOS: America's Worst-Dressed People
10-11-2009 @9:20PM charles said... well.........how is the email coming.......mental telepathy?
Reply
10-11-2009 @9:22PM Kurt said...
I went to school prep school with Ben ....He was WHITE.....just pretended to be black to promote his business in Washington DC....kinda like Obama....
Reply
10-11-2009 @9:31PM Kurt said... I guess there's a time and place to be white, and a time and place to be black.....but once you go black you'll never go back....
Reply
10-11-2009 @11:08PM amala said... I believe your statement to be a lie. Everyone gets waited on in turn, there is no skipping over people in line, white-black-asian-latino or other. And if you linger in line, as though you're trying to make up your mind, patrons will go around you, but the folks at the counter will continue to ask you what you want until you order, or you leave the store. Quit trying to trash Ben's!
Reply
10-11-2009 @11:36PM Glenn Nelson said... Rest in peace Ben
Reply
10-11-2009 @11:58PM JAZZMAN said... I'm sure there's an "ex-pert" out there who will correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Ben's Chili Bowl the location where Jelly Roll Morton used to play piano not long before he died? Of course, it wasn't known as "Ben's Chili Bowl" back in 1940-41. It's right next door to the Lincoln Theater, an extremely important U Street theater! I think it was about 1987 when there was a celebration in front of the Lincoln Theater, commemorating Jelly Roll's 100th birthday!
Reply
10-12-2009 @12:35AM morgy said... I have to say that all these negative comments about our president is tiresome. This article was about ben. You Obama haters are so angry. What are you so angry about? Just Obama. Is it because he is black? I think it is because no other president has ever had this much hate comming at him. By the way what do you do for your country? I just retired from the military. I vote, I volunteer, even when it's not convenient, and I also educate myself. I never box myself in. Our president is our leader for now. Show him, and by him I mean most of America a little respect. I was not in the military for only some of you. I did service for all of us. So Mr. I ask again what do you do for the rest of us?
Reply
10-12-2009 @12:45AM DJR said... Huh? I lived in DC (Alexandria) and never heard of it....????????
Reply
10-12-2009 @2:44AM Alika said... Its sad He past away,but while He was here,He
served President Obama,what a honor!
And so what He was Black,or White,He was a
great man! And I'm White,& in Hawaii,I have
Friends of all races,all of which goes beyond
skin deep!! And growing up,We sure had lots of
fun!
Reply
10-12-2009 @2:41AM Alika said... Could it be Your attitude or something You said to
each other,or Your facial expressions,that could be
the reason You were ignore!
While I've gone to locally Owned stores & resturants,We see white people come in & show the
expression of ewwww!But otherwise Whites from the
mainland usually stick to McDonalds,Burger King
& Jack In The Box.
And try & change Hawaiian Customs that have
been done for hundreds of years!
7
Reply
10-12-2009 @3:07AM bustercrabbe said... in burbank,ca. we have chili johns(near l.a.)best chili on the planet.would love to see a chili off with bens.
Reply
10-12-2009 @2:50AM Alika said... I hope Ben Ali RIP,& I just wish I met Him!
And I don't care if He is Black,& I'm sure They
had a reason for ignoring You,maybe had nothing
to do with You being White,I beleive its Your
facial expression or attitude!
Reply
10-12-2009 @2:52AM Alika said... Stop being prejudice towards Blacks,try make
Friends of other races!
Reply
10-12-2009 @3:15AM Patrice Bedrosian-Nagel said... Why is it whenever anything is mentioned concerning a great place to eat, or just anything that is happy, either the President Obama haters come out, then the religious zelots follow, then lets not forget Bill who "thinks" only black people were being waited on..Get a grip Bill, I doubt that happened. Myself, If and when I get to DC I will make sure that I make Bens Chili Bowl one of my first stops because nothing is better than a great bowl of steaming hot chili with the works..I am so sorry that this had to turn into a free for all with all of the nutcases..I wish to send my thoughts and condolences to Mr Ali's family...
Pat from Ca..
Reply
10-12-2009 @3:09AM Patrice Bedrosian-Nagel said... For the record, I am not the Pat who said that President Obama sucks. That was rude and uncalled for and if you lived anywhere else you would be arrested for that sick remark..I am Pat from California..
PHN
Reply
10-12-2009 @3:12AM Patrice Bedrosian-Nagel said... And what do you suck Freddie??? Why don't you just grow up and leave you hatred out of this topic..It is about a restaurant and its owner who happened to be well loved, but people like you add your sickness on it and ruin it for the people who came to pay their respects and to reminise about the goof times they had there...
Pat from Ca
Reply
10-12-2009 @3:04AM mrrickbear said... I just thought the food was good and nobody made me feel less of a person for being white. I also would hope that nobody would feel less of a person for eating anywhere because of their race.
This isn't the 40s. Isn't it time we all just got along?
Reply
10-12-2009 @4:10AM sedeja said... I'm sorry to say that's your great loss.
Reply
10-12-2009 @5:08AM Jaguar8450 said... Obama should be impeached if his meal at this business was free of charge.
Reply