Skyline Chili

Ordering a 3-way means something very different in Cincinnati! I will say that the meat sauce reminds me of Greek Pastitsio filling, you can taste the Greek roots. I didn’t hate it, I’m glad I tried it but it was a little odd…I think it might be a cultural thing. That said, I will probably have it again (if we ever come back to Cincinnati).

The servers and the atmosphere of the restaurant were very nice, however the food was VERY sub par. The noodles had too much sauce, the chili was absolutely disgusting, had the texture of dry taco meat that you microwaved from your mom’s family dinner. Wasn’t even a little runny or watery like Cincinnati chili is supposed to be. The cheese was super thickly cut and because of that, just a few strands trumped the whole flavor profile. Honestly the only part that was okay was the onions but it takes some real effort to mess up onions. It was also somehow very oily, I’m not sure how that one even happened. I got a 4 way and it absolutely was the worst one I’ve ever had

This was a fun, unique experience. The restaurant was exceptionally clean and it was fun to watch the food being prepared adjacent to the dining area. Everyone was very friendly. The waitress went out of her way to make it a special event. And that included helping us put on bibs before we ate. Nice touch when you're having lunch and chili is on the menu. She also guided us through the menu. That's why I would say instead of just having lunch we had a fun experience. It was fascinating watching the kitchen staff prepare the dishes. They were doing an incredible volume but still every plate that left looked great. It is not fancy fine dining. But the food is delicious and it was a great experience!

The kids and I really enjoyed our food here. I had a salad, and Regular size 3 way (spaghetti, chili, cheese), som had 3- chili cheese dogs, daughter had chili cheese fries, other son had the 3 way with their habanero cheese. It was all great, great price, great service! I’d high recommend using their hot sauce too!

Special experience. The mac and cheese is a game changer. Skyline is as good as everyone says. It gets busy at lunch, but our waitress was on the ball and was very nice.

In Cincy so I had to try and I must say, I don't get it. Had the 3 way and a cheese coney. There just wasn't anything to the chili. The coney was so tiny, you could barely taste it. Chili left a bad aftertaste and nasty burps. If this is Cincy's thing, damn. Once was more than enough for me.

You must visit this landmark restaurant if you are in Cincinnati. This location on Walnut, downtown, was a fantastic first time to have a 3 way. We also tried the coneys and liked them as well. The staff here is super friendly and fun, making this the perfect place to start your Cincy experience.

Great service and a fun experience overall. I’m happy we tried this during our trip to Cincy, and it tasted not bad - definitely better than expected! I liked the chili over potatoes a little more than the traditional pasta, but either way you’re getting the famous chili with a mountain of cheese. No plans for a re-visit though.

I get back to Cincinnati about once a year and always so by this old school skyline chili location. Everyone inside is always so nice and welcoming and the service is super quick. The chili itself is amazing and even now I can imagine the taste...so good! I highly recommend a four way with beans and if you don't use the hot sauce you aren't really activating all of the flavor in this wonderful regional specialty. Also, cut straight down the layers of the cheese, chili and pasta with your fork so you get all of the flavors at once in every bite.

I guess I'll give a one word review... Overrated. Skyline chili was the talk of everybody when we told him we were going to Cincinnati, Ohio. As a Floridian... I'll just say the juice was not worth the squeeze. I'm not sure if the highlight of the restaurant is supposed to be the chili... Because it's not. The chili is actually pretty bad. My wife's said the Publix grocery store makes better chili. For those of you who don't have a Publix nearby... That's kind of like Wendy's. So let me explain a little more... We both ordered the hotdog with cheese and chili. I guess there's a hotdog under there... I guess there's chili under there too... Oh man is there some cheese. They should change this restaurant name to skyline cheese factory. We ordered the cheese/chili fries. Once again... Cheese. Don't get me wrong... I love cheese. But I thought I came here for chili. With a small bit of chili that I could taste... It was just bland, no perceptible meat, no perceptible beans, mushy paste-like chili. I didn't hate the whole meal... I like hotdogs and cheese. But I'll go back to my first word... Overrated. Surprisingly, the restaurant has sit down service. I would've sworn it would just be counter service and you'd walk away or maybe sit at a booth. But, you get a waiter or a waitress. Service was fine. So I must say... If you're visiting Cincinnati, you can do better for lunch.

Streamlined service with a smile. Very enjoyable, glad we stopped on! Chili 4 way regular size was very good, added a bit of hot sauce. Sat at the counter so I could enjoy watching the preparation. It's a 5 star fast food.

Was visiting, so had to try the famous 5 way before I left! I had to get a taste of everything, so I got the 5 way, coney, and Greek salad. I substituted for the habanero cheese blend for both the coney and the 5 way, and it was a game changer! If you're into spicy, it was the perfect combo. The Greek salad was very tasted and complimented the flavors of the chili really well. The place was a nice vibe and clean, and the waitstaff were quick, friendly and attentive. Did not disappoint!

When in Cincinnati .... I actually like the occasional Cincinnati-style chili and have even made it from a recipe before. I know others prefer Texas style but I can do both. This location was a few blocks from my hotel so I stopped by for lunch on a Thursday. I walked up to the counter and the server asked me if I wanted takeout; I said I was going to eat in and she said to just grab a seat at a table. My server was very friendly and I got a 4-way over spaghetti and a soda. It came out very quick, was filling, and was inexpensive. They told me my receipt had a link to a survey that I could redeem for free food but I did not take the survey. Glad I stopped in.

Long, long, so long ago I worked in northern Michigan for a certain global consumer products corporation headquartered in Cincinnati. I went to a party and was served this dish by the hosts that they called "Cincinnati Chili". I did not like it. However, I was also, young, ignorant, untraveled, and had no palate for anything not grown on my parents' farm. I promised the hosts I'd try the dish again when I visited Cincinnati. Decades, literally several decades later I kept my promise. This is my first time in Cincinnati. (I love how the city is honoring its old history and architecture while growing and revitalizing.) I told my wife that we HAD to visit Skyline Chili during our brief stay. It's ubiquitous in this region but truly unknown elsewhere. This Skyline location was just a short walk from our hotel. We each had a Regular "4-Way" with onions. We also asked for the hot sauce and were served oyster crackers. It..wasn't bad...actually the more I ate the more I enjoyed it. The chili is mild, more of a meat sauce for the spaghetti in my view, so the hot sauce adds a well-deserved kick. And the cheese, so much cheese! But very tasty. My wife thought the plate was on the smallish side when she saw it but then realized how filling it was. We debated how to rate Skyline. Look, this isn't fine dining by any stretch. But it's priced equivalent to fast food franchises. And when you compare this meal to those places, it stacks very well both in flavor and in value. For a few dollars you'll walk away satisfied and full. Those from Cincinnati are more than familiar with Skyline Chili and will likely never read this review. But for those of us from elsewhere, please try this the next time you're in the area.

A touristy place but food is really meh. The spaghetti (three ways) was really soggy and bland. The coney dog didn't have much flavor and it was only warm at best. Service was prompt though. We got our food very quick.

Vibe: When in Cincinnati, gotta try Skyline Food: Inexpensive, quick, simple Order: Cheese coneys, Cincy Chili, soda Dining: dine in or takeout Service: table service w/a smile Before arrival to Cincy, I was encouraged to seek out one of these restaurants. Rave reviews came along with the recommendation. Though I'm not quite sure why?! Lol. The food was not what I expected, but it wasn't bad at all. The chili is actually spaghetti with LOTS of (freshly) shredded cheese and served with oyster crackers. The coneys are small hotdogs with more of that shredded cheese. The customer service (sit down, brought to table) was nice at what would otherwise be considered fast food. Hours of operation made no sense to me, closing at 2 pm?? Overall, food was decent. I've tried it once and that's all I needed.

There as many regional variations of chili across the USA, with variations in type of meat used, whether or not it includes beans, chunkiness, and the spice mixture used. Cincinnati is well-known for its "Cincinnati-style chili." We dropped into the Skyline Chili on Vine while downtown. (This is a chain. There are other locations in Cincinnati). It was close to closing time, but our server was incredibly patient in helping these tourists to understand what the best order would be to get an authentic Cincinnati experience. The first decision point is whether you want a "coney" (hot dog) or "chili". We chose the latter. In Cincinnati, chili has a sauce-like consistency, and generally includes ground beef, stock, tomato paste, and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cumin) though I can't claim to know Skyline's secret recipe! The second decision point is what "way" you want it served. A "3-way" has the chili served over spaghetti, and topped with a mound of shredded cheddar cheese. A 4-way adds either beans OR onions. A 5-way adds both beans AND onions. As this snack was intended to be just a tasting for us, we shared a regular-sized (800 calorie total) 3-way which cost $7.99. (Other size options were small (400 calories, $5.69) and large (1150 calories, $9.99). Our chili was served with a packet of oyster crackers. Not sure whether they were supposed to be mixed in or eaten separately. I enjoyed the new taste experience for me, and liked the combination of the chili meat sauce over spaghetti. I'm already planning to return to try a coney. My husband, on the other hand, was less impressed, but ate it all. He prefers a chunkier chili con carne, with lots of added goodies and without the spaghetti. The restaurant itself has many fast turnaround tables that were kept clean. The server was friendly and helpful. The restroom was clean. A final note and fun facts. *Skyline has been "proudly serving coneys and ways since 1949." *Cincinnatians consume 2 million+ pounds of chili per year, topped with 850,000 pounds of shredded cheese.

Heard it was a Cincinnati must-have. I got the cheese coney and thought it was pretty good for the price and quick eat. The crackers were good with hot sauce and it was overall a good experience.

We came here as a part of our Cincinnati food tour and we were all super happy with the experience! The people are SO KIND and the food is SO GOOD! My husband actually found a recipe for Cincinnati chili that he's been making for a few years now. At this stop we got to learn about the tradition of serving Cincinnati chili over spaghetti noodles and the flavors developed that really separate it from traditional chili. My family and I have always enjoyed this rendition and we were excited to try it from Cincinnati to see if we've been doing it right! I am so glad to say WE HAVE!! Come to my house for dinner and we'll show you a real authentic Cincinnati chili!! Now, thanks to skyline, we'll be eating it on chili dogs now too! SO GOOD!! Service gains 5 stars, food freshness and quality gains 5 stars, cleanliness, ambiance... all 5 stars!! Thanks for a great experience guys!!

Great service and a fun experience overall. I'm happy we tried this during our trip to Cincy, and it tasted not bad - definitely better than expected! I liked the chili over potatoes a little more than the traditional pasta, but either way you're getting the famous chili with a mountain of cheese. No plans for a re-visit though.

I love Cincinnati chili! I love Skyline! We stopped in for a quick lunch and it was actually quick. Our server was very friendly. Our food came out super fast. It was tasty as always. The price was very fair. The eating area was clean. The restrooms were clean. I bought a t-shirt. The entire experience was pleasant.

Everyone here was very nice and welcoming! We were excited to try the chili spaghetti because it was our first time. The spaghetti was a little over cooked and the chili wasn't the flavor we imagined but as we kept going it grew on us and the fresh cheddar cheese and hit sauce were yummy too. I loved that they gave me a bib and I needed it!

Our first time eating Cincinnati chili ever and our server Reetta was absolutely amazing. So kind and welcoming and she really made the experience special. Put some bibs on us for a photo op and just was fun and awesome. The chili was incredible too. Thanks Reetta!

Server was lovely.... Food was a huge disappointment. I've been wanting to try Skyline since I found out I was being sent to Cincinnati. I went to skyline and had 2 coney's and fries... the hot dogs were mini hot dogs and quite frankly I'm glad because I couldn't even bare going through the first one...sorry folks I am sad to say I will never eat a skyline chili dog ever again.

omg this place is so cute, service is a little slow but I'm sure it is because of how busy they are. I think my waitress was sweet and had great sperit.overall loved the food Recommended

I have been wanting to try Skyline Chili for several years but because I have Celiac Disease I conducted a lot of research before going for it! Ebony at Skyline on Vine Street made me a fresh batch of chili today and I finally got my wish today thanks to her! Let me tell you it was amazing and Ebony made sure I didn't get cross contaminated or sick!! She is truly a great representative for this franchise!! The chili was so good now I know what the hype was all about!! Thank you Ebony I think you deserve a raise!!

I never had chill and spaghetti together but it was very good friendly staff and the chill is good can't wait to try the chilly dogs

Quite the experience! Yes I know, this is a chain specifically for the Cincinnati area, but there is none where I am, and hearing all the stories I had to go here at least once and try it! In the Washington DC area, there is a similar chili restaurant called Hard Times Cafe. There they serve Chili Mac just like Skyline does. They even serve Cincinnati Chili, which I am well aware is different from Texas Chili. It is sweeter and less thick, but still tastes great. So in coming here I got a regular 3-way Chili Mac (that is just cheese, spaghetti, and chili for you newbies). Because I was new, I literally had to wear a bib to make no mess (probably also to point me out to the staff). The food arrived quickly and needless to say it was absolutely delicious. All three components work incredibly well and the cheese, while piled high, never got in the way and really just brought this up from just being pasta and a sweet meat sauce. I will definitely be recommending this to anybody who stops in the area and if by some chance I end up back in Cincinnati, I will be eating here again.

Before I can even speak about the dish I must speak about the service. Inviting, warm , organic and possibly one the cleanest diners I have ever seen! Not a fan of the chili but the service makes up for it completely!!!!

The food was fresh, nice and hot, not too spicy and seasoned well. The only problem was we ordered a 5 way which comes with sour cream and onions but they gave us 3-ways after we asked to confirm if the order was correct and didn't know until we arrived back to our hotel. The service wasn't bad but needs improvement and the employees were not attentive, with not many customers to serve.

It's chilli. Cincinnati chili I hear is the best. The service and the chilli was great. I'm going to say the texture of the chilli is a bit strange, reminds me a bit of canned chilli, but it's good. I dont normally enjoy the mountains of cheese on things but this is actually really good. The cheese is not extremely sharp and it tastes great with the chilli. The chilli spices are there and the spaghetti texture was good. Just giving it four stars cause of the texture of the meat in the chilli, maybe I'm too used to the ground beef portions of the Texas chilli I'm normally eating.

I've heard many, many time a out Cincinnati style chili. I finally had a chance to try it and wow. This is great. Noodles with chili on top seems kind of strange or unusual but they are really tasty. 5 cheese with jalapeño is the way to go

As a foreigner (from Arizona), skyline was just incredible. It reminded me of the cafeteria lunches I had throughout elementary and middle school. The sausage in the hotdog tasted like Vienna sausages in a can. This place was fantastic. I'll come back!

Review #600! The very first thing I HAD to eat within a couple of hours of arriving in Cincy! I remember Skyline Chili as a kid and that stuff in a can out here just can't compare to actually going there! During a couple of visits there we enjoyed.. - Three Way Cincy (chili onions, and cheese) - Chili Dogs! (yum!) - Chili cheese fries I've always loved the chili dogs, but nothing quite beats the 3 Way Cincy for me! Tasty chili and copious amounts of cheese on top of spaghetti always works for me! I was a little surprised at how little the actual dogs are in the chili dogs. Wish there was a bit more there. Did I mention how generous they are with the cheese?? They just heap it on there....and I love it! Service was always friendly and helpful. Refills were always taken care of in a timely manner. Lots of Reds pics and stuff decorating the place. Can't go wrong there! ;) A visit to Cincy without some Skyline Chili just isn't right. 3 stars. A-OK.

So I'm from California and did not know anything about Cincinnati. We went on a family vacation to Kentucky and decided to make a stop in Cincinnati since it's so close by. I googled places to eat and came to find out Cinci is famous for their chili! I'm not the biggest chili lover so I wasn't all that excited, BUT CINCI FOOD BLOGGERS HAVE SPOKEN, and so I obviously needed to try it out. Not only was the meal extremely affordable, IT ALSO CONVERTED ME INTO A CHILI LOVER. The cheese coneys are super small and I order 2 plus shared the 3-way (spaghetti) and chili cheese fries with my brother. I was so stuffed but I knew I would never be able to get this anywhere else so I ordered another cheese coney to-go for the road. Pro tip: add hot sauce on top, YOU ARE WELCOME

EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE! however... The spgahett was-a very oily. I had got the 4way spaghetti chili. It also had ALOT of cheese...ALOT OF CHEESE.. the hot sauce made it bare-able to eat. IT HAD BEEN LIKE 5 BITES BRO then my stomach started to turn. Nausea approached.. needless to say it was hard to stomach. The chili in itself was very MID. Not thick at all.. The cony on the other hand was wayyyyy better than the spaghetti. If you come here, come for that. The price overall was good for what it was. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.

I'm from Louisiana so I guess my expectations were a tad bit too high flavor/seasoning wise. I have never in my life heard of cinnamon in chili until I tasted this atrocity. The Chili's consistency was of canned meat and the pounds of tasteless shredded cheese did nothing for me. There's was a strange grease like juice throughout the plate. I really wish I could recommend this place but it's a strong NO! The waitress was nice and my root beer was crisp lol that's all I have.

Never had Cincinnati Chili before and apparently my friends say if you want to taste the classic, grab one at the Skyline! For a fast-food chain diner the food is good for what it is and the service was very pleasant. We had a waitress name Reetah who was charming and motherly - she tied plastic bibs around our necks that reminded me of my grandmother. My friend and I ordered the chili but in two different styles: I had the 5-Way, which was the classic chili on spaghetti with beans and diced onions while my friend had just the 3-Way aka chili without the extra ingredients. I had a taste of both and I prefer the 3-Way more. The beans in the 5-Way overpowered the chili so if you want to taste that chili more, go for the 3-Way.

Stopped in during a drive through Cincinnati because this place is so well known and it was AWESOME! I ordered the meal with 3 hotdogs and chili with cheese to-go and it was still delicious when I made it to Charleston, WV a few hours later. I would definitely go back and try more of the menu!

Anxious to have Skyline Chili in its hometown, I entered to location bombarded with loud music and an unfriendly staff. No one greeted me, as is the Skyline Chili custom. I asked a waiter where I should sit and she curtly told me anywhere and then went back to sweeping the floor. I left. Someone told me about another location at Sycamore and Fourth Street. After entering, I was warmly greeted, the music was soft and was playing on low volume. A waiter instantly took my order and checked on me a couple times, what a difference. And, as always, the Skyline coneys were great.

They say when you are in Cincinnati there are 2 things you must try. 1 ) chili 2) Goetta There are some skyline stores closed on eve of Thanksgiving but was lucky enough to find this in middle of downtown while searching for Wall Murals. The place is spacious and you can even eat at the counter tops too. Oyster Snack is offered for the chili. Ordered coney with chili on them that comes with a lot of shredded cheddar and Sphagetti topped with chili and cheddar. The Sphagetti was ok but thats not my style of coney. So I think i'll give it a pass but give it a shot . You might like it. The Items are Inexpensive and place is pretty much filled up all the item. There is good line for take outs. Not really my thing but you must try as it is Cincy Famous

There is no trip home to Cincy that doesn't include a visit to Skyline. This is a really good downtown location. When I lived here, everyone had their own personal favorite store, but this one has become a solid one for me. They have downtown hours and that stinks, but they are clean & comfortable. I don't have a store in Orlando (I can drive to Clearwater, but that is a haul. A haul I make on occasion, but a haul) and whenever I go home I make the most of my visits by hitting Skyline. It was sooooo *home* to see guys on lunch playing Euchre as they ate their Skyline.

I came here after seeing an Instagram feature of this place a couple months back. I was really excited to try it this weekend since I'm in Cincinnati for a couple of days, but coming from NYC's food scene, this place was mediocre at best. Definitely worth going to once, but my stomach is going on a rollercoaster ride right now. Might've been because I ordered too much though. Glad I got to try one of Cincinnati's famous food spots!

Not a bad place. I stopped in and got some chili cheese fries. I also got plenty of hot sauce since Cincinnati chili is a little sweet. It was pretty good and the staff was pretty nice. The place was clean and the prices were reasonable. Overall it was okay!

First time in Cincy so the first stop is trying one of the city's signature dishes. The restaurant was casual and the counter service quick. I ordered my meal to go and the only complaint is the takeout version doesn't give you the melted cheesiness by building it yourself.

I arrived downtown on a cold day absolutely starving and the only thing I wanted were some chili cheese fries from Skyline. I'd never visited this location, but it was just as homey and friendly as any other I've been to. The service was fast and it was nice to see families there. This place is great for everyone. Their fries are skinny cut and covered perfectly with chili. The chili gets absorbed by the fries in just the right way. The shredded cheese is heaped on top and melts throughout the meal. Skyline has Pepsi products if you're curious. Just interesting to note.

This place is absolutely disgusting. The food was flavorless. The hotdog tasted horrible. I literally almost threw up. The fries were good though. If you're coming here Bc it's a Cincinnati staple, DONT. I'm sure you can find better chili somewhere else. I know it's a fast food spot but trust me McDonald's or a 4for4 taste way better. The service is really good though!!!

I told them I was going to the restroom and the server threw my food away anyway then tried to charge me full price for it. Then had an attitude with me when I asked why she threw my food away.

Healthy servings of a homemade Chile just the way YOU want it... with or without beans, onions, cheese.... over a bed of spaghetti- sounds odd but it's really delicious. Pictured us the 5-way and a plate of chili fries.

Gonna be a no from me, dawg. Weren't allowed to dine-in because we walked in and were told to order at the counter. If you order at the counter, you must take your food to-go. No exceptions! Even so, no open tables because they closed off 2/3 of the restaurant an hour and a half before closing time. Too much cinnamon. The actual coney itself was not desirable. Sorry, Cinci. I tried.

I'm gonna say it: I don't love Cincinnati chili. Sure, it's rich and hearty, but it has a cinnamon aftertaste that my mouth couldn't shake. Served either on a hot dog or in a bowl with spaghetti and topped with a ton of shredded cheddar (a '3-Way'), it's one bucket list food I'm not anxious to sample again. That said, if you're in the Queen City and HAVE to try it, Skyline is probably the place to do it. A divey, lunch-counter kind of spot, it has all the charm of a New Jersey roadside diner in Jersey. Table service was slow, but grab and seat at the counter and you'll been be staring down a bowl of chili faster than you can say 'Pete Rose.' Wish I could recommend this Cincinnati staple, but it just wasn't for me.

Skyline has great chili and probably not the kind you make at home. This is eastern europe inspired chili with heaps of grated cheddar. It is traditionally served on a small hot dog (chili cheese coney) with onions and a tiny bit of yellow mustard under the cheese. Three can make a meal. They are served on soft, steamed buns. Cincinnati is ground zero for the Skyline versus Gold Star battle and both are known for serving their chili over spaghetti (a two-way), add cheese for a three-way and add onions for a four-way. When in Fort Lauderdale, I go to Skyline. We also have the canned chili in stores. Still, there is nothing like going to Skyline in its home town. Don't expect ambiance and white-glove service. This is a down-to-earth, all-about-the-chili lovefest.

Food was good, I mean it was Skyline but the servers were slow and I was ignored when my hand was up.

Freaking delicious! I wasn't expecting table service at a fast-food restaurant, but they had it. The waitress was really helpful in explaining the menu to our table of out-of-towners. I ended up having a crisp and fresh greek salad along with two savory little chili dogs topped with a plethora of cheese! Mmmmm. I recommend that you order them with mustard and onions and top them with a bit of hot sauce. I rounded out my meal with a big glass of freshly-brewed iced tea. Seriously, you MUST try this place! You won't be disappointed.

Bad for business I went in too get two cheese coneys it they dumped a lot of cheese on it then usually they melt the cheese and you can tell the employees was doing everything but there job I don't recommend this location at all

A million and a half loyal customs downtown for blink and you won't allow them to use you bathrooms. There were literally no bathroom for this event. Shame on you. I will never be back.

Been to a handful of Skylines, this one is pretty standard but interior could use some TLC. Great downtown location and wasn't too busy on a weekday afternoon. Food quality is comparable to other locations. Delicious. Love it. It's not fancy, it's midwestern grub and it's perfect the way it is. I used to live in Cincy and look forward to Skyline every time I visit.