Mike's Chili Parlor

1447 NW Ballard Way, Seattle, WA - (206) 782-2808

Overview Reviews(1) Rate Restaurant Upload Photos Bookmark Email

Posted By Michael Stern on August 17, 2007 10:03 AM

As Jane plowed into a dish of spaghetti, chili, cheese and onions and I forked up a chili dog and our friend Diane spooned into a bowl of chili, it occurred to me that Mike's is one of an endangered breed of restaurant: the urban chili parlor. Other than in Cincinnati, where chili culture still thrives, there are precious few good, cheap, blue-collar eateries where chili is king.

Outfitted with a billiards table, a few video games, an ATM station and pull-tab lotto, decorated with beer signs and festooned with announcements warning that only cash is accepted and noting such specials as a "Big Ass Bowl of Chili," this joint is the real deal. Seats are available at a couple of communal tables in the center of the room, at the counter and in a few booths. Customers are a tough bunch and the staff can seem tougher. In fact, among the "extras" listed on the menu, such as jalapeno peppers (25 cents) and onions (25 cents) is abuse (free).

As for the chili itself, let us simply say that this is NOT gourmet-yuppie-celebrity chef type chili. It is coarse-ground beef with enough grease that when it is served by the bowl, your spoon will slide through a glistening layer on top before it hits meat. (Oyster crackers are provided, and they are the connoisseur's way to soak up excess grease.) Beans are optional, as are grated cheese and chopped onions.

An old article posted on the wall describes Mike's chili as "Mexican with a touch of Chicago and a pinch of old Greece." The Chicago touch is evident in the item listed on the menu, strangely, as chili pasta: chili served atop a bed of limp spaghetti noodles, a gloss on the Windy City's chili mac. Greek spice pervades the meat which is more Mediterranean sweet than Mexican hot.

The hamburgers looked great in a hash-house way, and next time we intend to try some. Meanwhile, we recommend the chili dog topped with cheese and onions. And to drink, if beer is not your choice, have some lemonade. It's fresh-squeezed!

PLEASE NOTE: Because it is a bar, people under 21 are not allowed to eat here.

Overall Rating

18 out of 18 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?

No Yes