Address:
Skyline Chili
6098 West Chester Road
West Chester, OH
(513) 860-5300
The Dish:
Cheese Coney Plain (Tress)
Chili Cheese Fries (Split)
5 Way Regular (Me)
Cheese Coney (Me)
Girls Bib (Chloe)
$24 (Tax and tip included)
Grade: 1 Fork, 1 Knife, 1 Spoon
Officially this was our second visit to a Skyline Chili. Last time we had this much fun we came into the ‘Nati (that’s short for Cincinnati for all you rap fans out there) we saw the Bengals literally throw away a 21 point lead in a matter of minutes to the San Diego Chargers. This time around, the Bengals were 0-8 and in dire need of help from their loyal fan base from Iowa. So we went and (long story short) they earned their first win of the season (and the first win while I was in the Jungle (that’s Paul Brown Stadium for all you Jacksonville fans out there) against the Jacksonville Jaguars. My sister and brother-in-law came with so we told them we have to go to Skyline as it is a Queen City (that’s a Cincinnati reference for all you Queen Elizabeth fans out there) favorite.
Ambiance: Technically, its fast food I think. But your order is taken from a waiter/waitress. This one was setup differently than the previous one. The last one actually had the meals being prepped in a center area of the dining area. A bit of a letdown that this one did not but this one was full of Reds and Bengals items so it made up for that. Additionally I think at the last one we sat down and menus were at the table. At this location we were seated by a hostess. Perhaps each franchise owner has leeway on how they run it.
Menu/Price: If you have never been there thinking that all they serve is chili you should still go as you can get salads, baked potatoes, and other non-chili items. However the Chili is where it’s at! It truly is something among itself as Cincy (that’s short for Cincinnati for all you Chi-town fans out there) is the Chili Capital of the USA [citation needed… maybe]. You can also get another Blue Chip City (yet another Cincinnati reference for all you Silicone Alley fans out there) favorite in Kahn’s hot dogs or as they are called there, coneys. Price wise, you are looking at less than $10 per person for almost all items.
Meal: Ok if you have never had Cincinnati (that’s Cincinnati for… Cincinnati) Chili, you should. It’s the only chili that tastes good with cinnamon, alcove, and bay leaves served on spaghetti noodles. I really cannot say much more than that. As a fan of all things Cincy (you should know what that’s short for by now) it would not matter if it really was lousy chili, I would still go there. Luckily it is awesome and truly a regional favorite in the Queen of the West (another reference to Cincinnati for all you Gateway to the West fans out there).
Service: My brother-in-law made the mistake of trying the hot sauce on the table without a drink. Our waitress noticed this and put a rush on our drinks for his sake. That is over the top customer service no matter how you look at it! I also experienced a bit of over the top customer service myself. I wanted to buy a girls Skyline Chili bib for Chloe (it was pink). Apparently they we’re out of them save for the one in the display case. Instead of doing the standard McDonalds/Burger King approach of “we can’t give away display items” they opened up the display case (had to move a counter to do it) and got me that pink bib for Chloe. Major Kudos guys, major Kudos!
Overall: There is another chili restaurant in the City of Seven Hills (that is on last Cincinnati reference for all you City of Angels fans out there) by the names of Gold Star. It is on our list to visit (although we had some at the game), but for our money it’s hard to pass this gem up!