Chili Mac's Diner

While the food and service was excellent the "ambiance" left a lot to be desired. This place is setup with the kitchen open to the dining area and a woman who I would discover later is the owner was disrespectfully dressing down a new employee manning the griddle on the proper way to do his job COMPLETE with a finger in his face infront of all to see and believe me everyone there was looking. She would later go on to loudly voice her political opinions for everyone to hear in a conversation with another customer. Our waitress who was also new and very nice didn't escape the owners degrading and condensing "critiques" either. If you think human beings should be treated with a certain minimum of respect then this is not the place you want to patronage

Downtown St Louis, cute spot for breakfast. Nothing fancy but loved the vintage diner vibes and lovely service. Frequented by many regulars so I think it was a good choice before walking to the arch.

I love Diners. The food and feeing of yesteryear. This little gem was a great place to visit. The steak and eggs were done to order. I definitely would come back the food was good the service was good and the prices were good. If you enjoy diners don’t pass this one by. With 70’s music playing in the background it was the finishing touch to a great experience.

Friday morning in June at 8:30am. We were looking for a place to get a good, quick breakfast on our way out of town. Happened upon this diner and it was SO GOOD!! The service was great-they were quick to take our orders and get our food out. It’s a very laid back atmosphere but the women working are busting it out to get everyone served in a timely manner. The food was very good-everything we ordered. Sausage special, half order of French toast, bacon special, half order of biscuits and gravy. If I find myself back in downtown St. Louis and in need of breakfast, I would go back to Chili Mac’s!! Highly recommend.

Not sure what I expected, but it exceeded my expectations! Delicious! The food was expertly prepared, the waitresses were good and with attitude. (The attitude is free!, lol) Great place for breakfast. I'll come back!

Hello ! I’m watching Bizarre Foods delicious destination! And you guys were on there ! I’m from stl and I have never ate there. Super cool to see the STL SLINGER ! I love it 🥰 keep up the great work

Loved this place. The food is inexpensive, good and served quickly. I ordered the hot tamale with chili and eggs on top. Coming from AZ it wasn’t the worlds best Tamale but it was still really good and I loved that it was covered in a yummy chili. The homes fries were also delicious. The staff were friendly and made some great recommendations. If you’re in St. Louis this is a must if you like old school diners.

Was in St Louis for a conference and was looking for a cost friendly breakfast so Chili Mac's was it. Old school Diner that's been there since 1904. The ladies are so nice and the food is pretty good. Loved the pancakes.

This place is an old school diner right in the middle of town. They're slinging breakfast at a fair price, and despite what their menu says about providing free attitude, I found them to be very genuine and welcoming. The food was quick, the food was good, surprisingly the coffee was above average. Kind of couldn't ask for anything more. I would definitely put this on your list if you're looking for breakfast. I did not slide in for lunch so I can't comment there, but I would expect the same quality of food that they were putting together for the breakfast service. Take a chance, live the diner experience.

Hidden gem/ throwback in downtown St. Louis. Not a chili fan, so didn't try a Slinger. Sat at a table in the back but next time will sit at the counter for pure nostalgia. I ordered two eggs over easy, perfectly cooked. The accompanying hash browns were crisp and delicious: "the bomb" according to my husband.. His Texas French Toast was excellent. The waitress was efficient and well practiced, and the place was busy for a Monday morning. Confirming as others here have written: the prices are unbelievable. 17 and change for 2 breakfasts, one milk and one coffee, before tip.

While the food and service was excellent the "ambiance" left a lot to be desired. This place is setup with the kitchen open to the dining area and a woman who I would discover later is the owner was disrespectfully dressing down a new employee manning the griddle on the proper way to do his job COMPLETE with a finger in his face infront of all to see and believe me everyone there was looking. She would later go on to loudly voice her political opinions for everyone to hear in a conversation with another customer. Our waitress who was also new and very nice didn't escape the owners degrading and condensing "critiques" either. If you think human beings should be treated with a certain minimum of respect then this is not the place you want to patronage.

Chilli Mac's is just what you expect in a local diner. The waitress acts like she's mad you are there but always provides quick service. We were there for breakfast and it was delicious. I highly recommend the French Toast, but be nice to the waitress and she'll be nice to you!!

OMG!!! absolutely amazing. When i travel,I often search for the local favorites. So i came across this dish called a slinger. Man you can't go wrong with anything topped with chili. This turned out to be spot on. Thank god I ordered a jr slinger. The reason though was because I saw they had tamales. The taste of the slinger was amazing. You cant go wrong with potatoes,a egg a hamburger patty,all topped with chili cheese and onions.Now being a native Texan,ive had my share of tamales. These were just as good as any as ive ever had. Now i chose to get mine dry with no chili. Dont let that fool you it was still amazing. The inside definitely had that 50's diner feel to it. Seems like i recall hearing some 50's or 60's tunes. I sat at the counter and was quickly served by one of the sweet ladies behind the counter. If I ever come back to St Louis,im definitely coming back.

Best place in town for breakfast. It has an old time vibe, friendly staff, great coffee and of course and excellent breakfast menu.

Wonderful little diner downtown. Prices are a pleasant surprise in todays inflation driven world.

Fantastic old school dinner dates back to 1904. Absolutely a must for breakfast. The food and hospitality of the waitresses is the best.

Chili Mac's Diner in downtown St. Louis offers a classic diner experience down to the charm of the boomerang countertops. It's in such a prime time location across from The Met building. It's a popular spot for both locals and tourists looking for hearty diner food. The ambiance is nostalgic, cozy and unpretentious with a retro vibe that takes you back in time. The menu has a variety of diner staples. The portions are generous, ensuring you leave full and satisfied. I got the omelet with jalapeños, cheese and onions. They've done this a few times and it shows. Service at Chili Mac's is friendly and efficient with waitstaff who make you feel right at home. Prices are cheap, making it a great value for the quality and quantity of food you receive.

The ambiance is like an older family owned diner, very welcoming and comfortable. I sat down at the bar (probably the best place to sit, you can watch the lady behind the counter cook your food). Service was great, a small kitchen group with a guy in the back as a runner to refill ingredients on the line and ice for the soda machine while the lady behind the counter cooked the food, answered phones, greeted walk-in take out customers, collecting cash and still waiting on in-house guest. The other lady server was taking orders not even writing things down but remembering everything that they ordered and called out to the other lady cooking. No tickets, no asking what was it again? They worked together like a well oiled machine. I was impressed. Food-wise I ordered the slinger(seen a pic online and looked good to me) country potatoes, an egg done to your liking, 2 beef patties smothered with their chili and garnished with cheese and onions also comes with toast. It was sooo good. I couldn't finish it all, I tried my hardest with 3 cups of Pepsi but had to tap out. I will bring the wife tomorrow morning to enjoy some goodness. Come and support this awesome business.

Breakfast sandwich was good and served hot. At lunch the small chili Mac was ok but not as good as Steak 'n Shake. Service was good. Great choice for downtown hole in the wall. Heard this hamburgers were excellent.

I've driven past this diner a few times. I was nearby early in the morning and decided to give it a try. I liked the omelet. Not the best, but definitely not the worst. The staff was friendly, and it's a diner, so they serve simple food. Nothing fancy. I'm glad I stopped by, and I'll be back.

Can't say enough good about this place. Food is exactly as you expect, even just a little bit better than absolutely delicious. The staff is a trip too, all running around doing their thing in a perfect finer setting. A frequent stop for me when traveling to STL!

Fantastic place for breakfast and lunch. The chili spaghetti is phenomenal! The service is excellent! Great diner feel.

Classic diner with all the feels and the diner pricing. My wife and I had full breakfasts, coffee, and a tamale for $26. Our coffee was topped off regularly and our waitress was very nice. I am staying at the Hampton Inn next to the Arch and this was well worth the 8 minute walk. The interior felt like it is right out of the 70's, which is exactly what I like when I'm in a diner. It's comforting, not bougie. I had the omlet and breakfast potatoes and my wife had the chili nachos. Both were great. I really like the breakfast potatoes. They were cut very thin, kind of like au gratin, which was a very workable way to eat them. If you like classic breakfast food in a no-frills, comforting environment, you should give it a try.

Midwestern, friendly environment is on point. The breakfast bar is filled with locals and travelers. I had sausage patties and two eggs. It was ready in about 2 minutes. The sausage was very flavorful and delicious.

I fell in love with the breakfast slinger a few years back after visiting St. Louis which is the only place I have ever seen it. The diner decor is old school diner with lots of charm. The decor is like 60s diner which just makes the whole experience. My service was excellent because I got there early before everyone started to come in. A slinger is basically layers with potato's of some style topped with burger or sausage patties, eggs to your liking topped with Chile cheese and onions. The slinger was probably the best I have had so far and absolutely delicious. The style of potatoes were home frys and the meat was burger patties. OMG the burger pattern had a fresh delicious beef flavor so I bet the burgers are awesome here. The toast was generic but great for making toast sandwich's with the slinger. Overall this was a fantastic place to get a breakfast slinger I an old school diner setting.

This was the best food I had while in St. Louis. The slinger was amazing. The potatoes, chili, eggs... wow. And the food comes out quick! Coffee was perfect. All the workers there were super nice and attentive. Great vibe. True sign of a delicious spot while on vacation.... you go back the next day after having it for the first time. Nevermind trying something else on the list. I needed to have their slinger again the next day for breakfast.

The food was amazing and extremely cheap. $3 for a breakfast sandwich and about the same price for a burger. We went there this morning 05/23/25 for breakfast because it was the only thing open and was amazed at how it looked like a 60s diner. And when we opened the menu it was like the price hasn't changed since then either. (Not really) but it was still shocking how in today's pricing there were so cheap. We had no choice but the come back for lunch. The food was great again. The service was very fast and great. And I was definitely still in awe. The place is definitely worth checking out!

Awsome old school diner, worth the walk to if you're in St Louis by tbe Arch. Skip the hotel breakfast and head over here!

Super fast service to perfection. Chili is amazing and burger is even better. I was in and out in about 20 minutes. Great for lunch.

Wonderful food at great prices! Be prepared though -- the place is small, but hey, it's a diner. The staff are very accommodating and hustle to get your orders out quickly. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area!

Great old school diner. I had breakfast and it was delicious. Great OK, French toast, and bacon. The service was sassy and perfect for the environment.

I was in St. Louis for work and decided to try chili Mac's because it was close to my hotel. I personally love chili, breakfast foods, and cheap eats. This was the perfect blend of all three with a retro diner vibe inside. I loved the service as it really added to the diner style. If I'm ever in St. Louis, I'll stop by again!

No frills burger joint that has various items on the menu with chili. Waitress was a little sassy and on the edge of rude. Food came out quick and was 95% correct. Condiments were wrong on all but one of the burgers. The positive was it was pretty cheap and fast.

I can't stress enough how great this place is. I've been eating there for almost 25 years now. Mostly the same staff. Even when I'm not able to visit for an extended period of time the ladies still remember my order when I come in. Slinger scrambled with cheese and onions, douse it with hot sauce. Excellent small diner atmosphere. This place is a must stop if you're in downtown St. Louis.

Come for the can't-beat prices and the charming hometown diner vibes. From the moment you step inside, it's obvious that this is a local haunt, with regulars easily outnumbering curious tourists like myself. The staff are so kind, which really makes for a charming experience. Food is fine, I had a tuna melt and some fries while seated at the diner counter. I'd go again if I were craving diner food for less than most places charge for a fancy cocktail.

What a great spot! The experience begins with a heartfelt greeting as you walk through the front door. You enter a restaurant that time forgot. A classic old time diner - not a new structure created to look like an old diner but a real old time diner! The fast and friendly service also reminiscent of days gone by. The team is actually happy to see you and they demonstrate that with words and behaviors. It is as if they deploy magic coffee cups that refill themselves at precisely the correct moment in time. Sausage, eggs, and toast served hot and at lightning speed. The ink could not have been dry on the waitress pad and my steaming plate of diner deliciousness was in front of me. I travel to the area several times a year for business. I know where I'm having breakfast next time I'm in town!

I love working class diners=those that are frequented by police officers, construction workers, and shift workers. I recommend the Junior slinger (eggs over medium, bean chili, onions, cheese, a tablespoon of thinly-sliced hash browns, and 2 slices white toast) for breakfast-full portion is too large. Black Coffee (diner generic warm) with ice water in a diner cup-cash pay preferred. The southern waitresses are doing everything (dish washing, serving, etc.). This is a tiny, warm, and comfy diner. Good after a short‍ and light on your wallet. Glad I went and will go again when I return to the STL Arch--Qualifies for All Madden--Calorie Spartan‍

This place is absolutely amazing! These ladies don't write anything down they don't punch anything in , it's all memorized and it's all verbal!! And they get it right!!! You need to sit at the counter and just watch the machine!!

Small old school diner downtown with a mix of locals, tourists, and construction workers the morning I was there. It's one of those places that's a ballet dance of the few employees working in a tight space and they've got it down to a science. Orders not written down but shouted to the grill that fixes them tout de suit. I got eggs in the sauce which meant covered in chili (when in Rome‍) and it came out hot fast and quite tasty. Would definitely go back .

This hole-in-the-wall diner is endearing. My guess is that the staff have worked here for years. They seem to have a group of regular customers that they know and enjoy bantering with. The atmosphere and the menu are nothing fancy, but the food is good and inexpensive.

Stopped while in town for Frozen Four-Amazing little restaurant! Food was excellent, service was great and very inexpensive! Can't go wrong with anything on the menu! Just wish we would have found sooner, we would have eaten there every day!

I was looking for something to try and this place popped up. It was around noon time. When I walked in I was greeted right away. You can choose to sit anywhere of your liking. It's a small cute retro style dining or take out place. With 3 ladies who can most definitely get the job done. I ordered a slinger which was surprisingly great for as fast as it was ready. Everyone in the establishment was nice and very welcoming. For fast service and food that was hot. I can't complain.

Low key, hidden gem, located right downtown, the food is fast and good, the chili was the best, lol, obviously! Try putting it on the potatoes, it's soo good! Prices are fair and service is good! Will definitely be coming back

I've been eating here for close to 50 years. The Slinger is top-notch awesome chili. Great people here. Laid-back awesome food.

This diner was a true gem find. Looks and feels like a diner. The food was good. We had normal breakfast fare. What made it a gem was the three "young" ladies that run the place. They are three sisters that have been running this diner for 30+ years, and they know their stuff! Super friendly with quick service! Highly recommend!!

Amazing food! 121 years of serving St Louis says it all! Keep up the great work! Slingers are amazing!!

In preparation for the trip, I searched must-have foods in STL and the Slinger was top of the list. Having the Eat Rite Diner close recently didn't help that planning but found Chili Mac's as a worthy substitute. I wrote a friend and said it's a traditional hole in the wall divey type diner with big loving women talking in English-Other with rounded off words slammed together into sentences. They have their own language in here and don't write down any order - just slinging out words to the lady at the flat top. I ordered the slinger and a diet - and wasn't disappointed. The chili was a darker more peppery taste - reminded me of Skyline Chili on OH (..IO). Slinger comes with two burger patties, eggs, potato slices, chili cheese and onion. So good. Would come back here any time and try breakfast - tried a piece of French toast and liked it. Highly recommended - would say Uber here as I am Not sure about parking in the area. It was in walking distance

The best breakfast in town. The best service in town. They're kind and friendly make you feel at home. Highly recommend it You won't regret it

How fun.....reminded me of going with my grandmother way back in the day to places that had a lunch counter. Don't expect modern, chic ambience at this downtown St Louis icon. This is a step back in time with the lunch counter, old formica tables, and an old square picture screen TV that is propped up on a cabinet overlooking the counter. Three sisters have been running this place for nearly 40 years. They are fun and conversant, and at times, sassy and fun. They have their own unique language to call out the specifics of orders (a "blonde with sand" is coffee with cream and sugar) that are never written down--how they can remember what a table of six orders is beyond me since I don't remember what I had for breakfast this morning. Born and raised in St. Louis, I remember the old O.T. Hodges Chili Parlor and the Chili Mac Diner continues that classic establishments' legendary "Slinger." So that's what I had for breakfast: an egg over easy, two cheeseburger patties, hash browns, covered in chili and some chopped onion. It's a stomach bomb so be sure to take a Nexium or some such thing before--but it's yummy and fills you up for the day. If you are visiting downtown St. Louis, join the regulars for a memorable breakfast or lunch experience.

Places like Chili Mac's are quickly becoming hard to find. Service was fast (two word order), coffee was always full, and eggs were cooked perfectly. In a beautifully orchestrated chaos the folks running the counter are always moving back and forth between the griddle, toaster, and soda fountain. Food: eggs were perfectly over-easy. Sausage was heavily spiced and danced right up against the line of being too spicy without going over. Toast was at the precise of being burnt giving it that perfect crunch. I saved the potato(e)s for last. The crispy outside with mushy inside is something you can only get from an infinity loop of sliced potato stacked on the griddle for the whole morning. Chili Mac's took me back in time to diner breakfast with my grandparents. Highly recommended! If I was local I'd be a local.

I'm in town for work and was looking for a place to grab breakfast. This place is GREAT! Good food, reasonable prices and friendly staff. I now have breakfast there every morning.

Delicious diner food. Super fast service with fun, sassy attitude! Old-school diner, ambience!

Was looking for a simple diner found this one. Sat down was digging it at first. The staff seemed to know the people coming in and what they wanted. Ordered our drinks and as we are sitting there a roach crawls out on the counter... okay things happen just smush it and throw it away again they seemed like an okay little spot I didn't want to cause a scene or whatever. A homeless lady walks by and looks in... I see them making a motion with their arm so since it was a freaking snowstorm outside I thought they were waving her in. Quite the opposite they were waving her on to get away. I would have paid for her meal as a matter of fact when I left I did go to that lady and gave her money to get some hot food and a warm spot even if for a little bit. The food was cheap and decent size for what it was diner food. Them waving the lady on in a snow storm ( the last one we had) though was enough for me with the roach. Such a shame.

I'm writing this review ten hours later and I still have heartburn. It was totally worth it. Simple quick food made very well. We came for breakfast, so of course I had Fritos chili pie, LOL. Our server was clearly a career waitress - friendly, easily memorized our order, efficient, and quick with refills and anything else we needed. My daughter dropped her fork and I wish I would have waited until the end of the meal to bend down and clean it up. The floor was not as clean as one would hope. Still, the kitchen is open and looked ok, I just prayed the cleaning there was better than the job done on the floor. Again, the chili was so good, I probably would have eaten it even if it was filthy. One thing I'd love if they could make clearer, I couldn't tell which dishes included beans. Mine didn't and I wish it would have. To their credit, I'm sure if I asked they could have added them, but in my glutenous rush, I didn't realize it until I was halfway through hoovering my breakfast. Pro tip - if you ask your kid if they want chili in a chili restaurant and they say no, you call them a damn dirty liar and order them chili anyway. Otherwise, you end up glumly finishing their biscuits and gravy and fried potatoes that are serviceable but don't hold a candle to the chili your five year old has demanded you split with her.

So listen this was the only thing open downtown and it's this little greasy diner with the best two ladies working there. These gals served the food up and waited on the tables. The best part was when they popped out and asked if everyone was okay at some point. Like what?! They're the best. The chili Mac was tasty. My stomach was in pain after but that's what it's supposed to do. I call it a cleanse. The price was so right too. Four meals and drinks for $40 AND as a welcome gift to St Louis we were gifted with some oatmeal stout cookies. Holler

Came here because it was close to the hotel we were staying at. It was recommended by hotel staff. If you want a super cute small diner feel where the waitress can remember every order and recite it to the cook, this is it! The food is fresh and fast and cheap! Four of us ate breakfast for less than $50 (enough food for 5 people). Got my chili mac fix. Midwest chili is definitely different than Texas chili.

Great little diner and a good cheap breakfast. They were super busy cause of the game weekend. Wendy runs it like a champ! She had her family helping after the rest of the staff decided to call in. Kudos to her and we'll be back. Oh yeah, standard breakfast faire.