Mike’s Chili Parlor

On my family’s trip to Seattle for the holidays, we decided to eat at Mike’s Chili Parlor one night. Loved the Chili! Nice and spicy! Loved that I was able to order it without beans. We will be moving at the end of the year to Seattle so this will definitely be one of out it spots!

Definitely a must if your passing thru Ballard. Like getting a burger at Dicks, getting chili at Mikes is a must.

Really good chili w meat only Adan option. Beef only Frank’s for their dogs. A solid menu around good chili

Mikes chili parlor has some excellent chili. I just ordered a chili cheese dog and they load you up big time. Definitely not stingy with that chili. The only downside was that they don’t allow kids inside. Our intentions were to dine in but had to order out because of it.

If you’re looking for an alternative to kale, look no further. Mike’s always delivers a punch of flavor. Great vibe. Great food. Definitely in the Best of Ballard category.

Parked across the street and noticed this cool building. I figured because I have never been to a Chili Parlor before I’d better check it out after my appointment. Cool place, authentic dive bar.
I got the quart of chili to go with the onions/​jalapenos/​cheese. Oh my goodness it was so damn good. I love spicy! I am not in the area often but it may be I make a special trip again to try one of the other specialty chili items.

We come here pretty often, at least once a month. This place is super casual, good service, good food. During baseball season they often show games with the sound on which is a big draw to me. The chili is pretty exquisite and the cheeseburger is no slouch either. I love this place, my only complaint is that drinks are fairly expensive. You might associate it with a «dive bar» but the drink prices don’t really reflect that. I’m no economist but they might have to have such prices to stay in the area after the explosion of new development. Regardless, this place is tops.

Coolest bar I’ve been to in a long time! 101 years old! Like going back in time to your grandpas neighborhood spot. The chili is awesome! If you want to know how Dick Tracy felt at a bar stop by!

Be advised that you must be 21 to eat here. We went in a family vacation with my 20 yr old son and they asked to see his ID. We were shocked– I asked if there was a sign posted. The rude waitress said there was one on the window. We left and looked — we had to search for it, but it was there. No one offered the outdoor seating area, so I’m not sure if that’s an option. We watched the Triple D episode and searched other reviews and no one mentions the age issue. I haven’t seen an age restriction on a place in many years. Maybe change the name; Parlor is not pub, bar or saloon. No one mentions the bar– it’s all about the chili…

On my radar due to a recent episode of Diners, Drive-​Ins & Dives… I just had to make a stop at Mike’s Chili Tavern on my last trip to Seattle. Really quaint building with outdoor seating… just what you would expect at a chili joint.
The food was awesome, the place was clean and the staff is friendly… Mike’s is the crying out to be the secret weapon to your dining out arsenal.
Three of us = three dishes for maximum taste opportunities and we could not finish our meal. Portions are extremely generous and the food is equally big on flavor. We had the chili pasta (yum!), the chili burger (had to eat this with a knife and fork) and the chili fries (next time order a small but so delicious!).
You have to check this place out for some good honest comfort food the next time you are in Ballard!

Mike’s Chili stands in defiance to the tasteless overdevelopment of Ballard, serves up a good chili dog, burger, or bowl, whatever you prefer. The place isn’t perfect, but neither are you. Bring cash, eat good chili, have a pint and relax, you can do your chores tomorrow. They’ll gladly sell you chili to go too.

Ray: Last night Josh and I ventured out for dinner to a place he had visited a time or two before and really wanted me try out. It’s Mike’s Chili Parlor in Ballard. Mikes Chili Parlor is quite an old building, perhaps even one of the originals. It has this terrific marquis outside the front door topped with a 7UP logo. The structure looks really old, nestled in a bevy of modern buildings.
The interior, though aged as well, is quite clean and kept up. The kitchen sits right behind the bar, in plain sight (I love that — no sins that way…). We seated ourselves and our waitress arrived right away to take our beer orders. I went with a Manny’s but I believe I was served a Mack N Jacks. No biggie, I like those too, but not what I ordered. The second beer was a Manny’s, so count it! I am a bit of a chili dog — dog, so that’s what I went with for dinner. We didn’t have to wait long and our plates were right in front of us. It was quite the chili dog. Probably the best I have ever had, loaded with cheese, onions, jalapenos and (of course) chili. I found out why they call the place a chili parlor. The chili was nothing less than outstanding, perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of heat. I’m pretty sure I inhaled it because it freaking disappeared right in front of me.
I must say that Josh made a good call on this place. I really quite enjoyed the meal, so I am awarding four stars to Mike’s Chili Parlor — go get some!
Josh: I’ve been to Mikes Chili Parlor a couple times before, and have wanted to take my dad there since my first visit. For whatever reason it didn’t happen till last Thursday. This isn’t exactly the season for chili, but there were a few clouds in the sky that made for an easy justification for eating such a Februarian (made up word) meal.
We found easy parking right around the corner in some angled back-​in-​only spots. Mike’s Chili Parlor is really, really old. I’m not going to look it up right now, but definitely one of the oldest places we’ve gone to. It looks so out-​of-​place nestled among some modern looking buildings housing Ross and Trader Joe’s. It looks like a stubborn land owner who wouldn’t give up. I like it. Almost like the place has an air of defiance to it.
We sat in a well-​worn booth and took a look at the menu that was already at the table. A server came over almost right away to take our drink orders, and while she fetched those frosty beers, we looked the menu over. It was fairly straight forward, lots of chili (obviously) served on things like pasta, hamburgers and hotdogs. Or just chili on it’s own. I opted for the chili dog.
The wait for the food was reasonable, it had a simple presentation, very non-​flashy and basic. A hotdog split down the middle covered in chilli and topped with cheese, tons of diced onions and tons of diced jalapenos. I couldn’t even tell if there was a bun under there. There was.
It was very tasty! Quite bold, the kind of meal one assumes would come with some lower intestinal issues later in the evening, or possibly spilling into the next day. I didn’t have that experience with Mike’s, just deliciously bold with no serious consequences. The meal and setting isn’t fancy by any stretch of the imagination, but Mike’s never, ever promised anything refined. They more then lived up to their end of the bargain. 5 stars, Mike’s Chili Parlor.

my husband wanted to go here after our visit to the woodland park zoo! boy, were we ever impressed! I saw pics of the chili pasta and knew I had to get that, my husband got the chili dog and we shared some chili fries.
everything was great, this would be a regular spot for us if we didn’t live in Bellingham.
we will be back!

I like comfort food like chili over spaghetti with cheese, onions and jalapeños in a big bowl. Went well with the Rainier beer and getting served by a nice waitress. $ 14 for a large bowl of chili and a beer.

I had eye surgery next door — while waiting we saw the reviews for this dingy little outpost in ballard, and I thought wow i’m so hungry lets eat there after surgery. Well, of course after surgery, i was in no mood for food, so I asked my wife to go in and get a bowl to go. So I have no idea what its like inside — but this is indeed the best chili I’ve ever had, and my son who shared it with me said same. Good as it gets. :)

Mike, my family use to visit your establishment often but since February our lives changed. My mom is now battleing stage 4 terminal brain cancer and today she asked for Mikes chili. So, my significant other and I came in and brought home the yummy goodness that can only be described as Mikes chili. The food is amazing and I want to thank you for putting a smile on my mother’s face… even if it was hut for a moment. We will continue to visit your establishment and enjoy your awesome chili. Thank you!

Only here for a drink but looks a whole lot different inside than it does on the outside. Feels like a bar that is a home and lots of tvs for sports.

What a dive! Mikes Chili Parlor is a dive bar that has been serving beer and greasy chili since 1922. It was also featured on Diners, Drive-​ins and Dives. Working in Ballard and hearing conversations about it, I decided to give this place a try.
They have a decent menu of food and beer. The options include hamburger with chili, chili fries, chili on spaghetti, and straight up regular chili. You can also add toppings for an additional fee including cheese, jalapeños, onions. I have tried the chili in spaghetti, regular chili and beer.
The chili is electric orange, watery and super greasy, barely any meat if any at all, and beans. I definitely do not recommend ordering just the regular chili, but it tastes a little better when served as a topping. The chili spaghetti was okay after I added the onions and cheese for more flavor and crunch.
My coworkers joke that it is not a good idea to eat here during lunch break, because you will likely have to be in the bathroom the rest of the afternoon. It is better to wait to eat here for dinner then go home to suffer in peace.
The service is fair, the waitress takes your order and brings out the food with little wait.
They are cash only and the prices are cheap. Have fun! Get your pepto ready!

A local spot in Ballard that had so much promise for being my new jaunt! I love the retro signage which is what made me aware of this place in the first place. Place. I had no idea it was on DDD until I saw it in another review. I was excited when I came in. It looks divey and dank, in the good way. Seemed more like a watering hole, a place fishermen would come after a long day.
The food itself, the jury might still be out. I have to (unfairly) compare this to Ben’s Chili in DC. That place transcends chili. Nothing can top it. How did Mike’s compare? I’m not sure. As far as chili goes, it’s good. It didn’t blow my mind like I had *hoped*. be aware that the chili dogs or burgers aren’t really the dogs or burgers you would eat with your hands. It’s basically open-​faced with chili doused over it to the point you can’t even see the dog. A mountain of chili. The dog did have beans, but as I understand the beans are not cooked with the chili and only added later. A bit weird, imo but I would have preferred it plain.
The chili fries are quite the star. It’s HUGE, but the perk to this is that if you take it home to reheat in the oven, it tastes delicious. One of those foods that is probably better reheated after the ingredients have had time to amalgamate.
I’m sorry to say that the service really wasn’t that great. Our server did get to our drinks and our food orders quickly. She left us alone during our meal, which is fine. nobody needs constant «How is everything, can I get you anything» but when it was time for the cheque, we were sitting for a long time and she never really looked up to our table. She brought our cheque and when we asked for a box, we were charged for it. We were leaving our payment without a requirement of change, but she never came back to our table with the box and seemed to almost be intentionally avoiding us. I’m usually not a stickler for this kind of thing, but it was just strange that had we needed change, it would have taken even longer.
I finally got up to ask Mike himself for a box and he happily gave me one. He definitely seemed the friendliest and attentive to guests at the counter. it seemed like there were a number of regulars there as well.
Service aside, it’s a decent little place that is probably worth a visit for foodies or Food Network whores. I’m sad to say I probably wouldn’t make this a regular spot, but might drop in again at some point with an out of town friend.

Having seen this place on Diners, Drive-​ins, and Dives and a huge fan of chili I just had to stop here. We were truly disappointed in the service and the quality of the chili. So far I’ve been to 20+ places from the DDD show and have been disappointed by most.
When we entered it took a bit for the waitress to acknowledge us and then she just pointed for us where to sit. When she came over there was no greeting just a «Do you know what you want?» That almost made me want to just walk out.
We ordered a bowl of chili and a bowl of chili over spaghetti. We were disappointed in both with there being little flavor or thickness. Had we not ordered cheese and onions on both there may have been no flavor at all and very little texture.
My bowl of chili over spaghetti was nothing but pasta and brown water (see photo of partially eaten bowl) and there should have been so much more to the dish.
Prices are reasonable but with the quality we received I’d say they are far overpriced.
The restroom wasn’t very clean (more like a typical neighborhood hole than a place worthy of being on Triple D). The only window in the bathroom was frosted glass with lots of clear spaces. People on the walkway behind the place or in the condo building just feet away can easily look inside the bathroom. Seems pretty odd to me.
On our next visit through town we won’t be stopping back and I’d suggest that people not bother making the trip to this NW industrial part of town. Just not worth it.