Win A Ben's Chili Bowl Anniversary Book!

Ben's Chili Bowl will celebrate its 50th anniversary Aug. 22, and Metrocurean is giving away five copies of the new book "Ben's Chili Bowl: 50 Years of a Washington, D.C., Landmark."

From Dr. Dre flipping burgers behind the counter to portraits of the "ordinary folk" who are regulars, the book is full of great photos and history.

To enter to win, leave a comment below — your favorite Ben's order, stories or just a hello — with your name anytime before Thursday at 9 p.m. Using the brilliance of random.org, I'll pick five lucky winners and announce them Friday afternoon.

Thanks to Arcadia Publishing for providing the books, and check out all the Ben's anniversary festivities here.

Comments

Tammy Gordon said…
half smoke and chili cheese fries! ;) happy bday bens!
8/18/2008 12:02 PM
ScottE. said…
Half smoke, chili cheese fries and a side of rolaids! And I wouldn't have it any other way.
8/18/2008 12:28 PM
Anonymous said…
Half smoke with chili and onions. Chocolate milkshake.... with some old school Jackson 5 on the jukebox.
8/18/2008 12:51 PM
dctrader said…
half smoke as desert after dinner at dukem...
8/18/2008 1:00 PM
Delchino said…
Half-smoke well-done with Chili-Cheese fries, extra crispy. I think I know what's for dinner tonight! :)
8/18/2008 1:01 PM
a.c. said…
The jukebox. The drunk tourist trying to buy a t-shirt at 3 AM. The sinuous melting pot line. When you're eating chili cheese fries and need to switch to a fork. Discovering table service in the back room. It's been a great run.
8/18/2008 1:06 PM
Genevieve said…
chocolate shake, please!
8/18/2008 1:10 PM
Anonymous said…
choco/vanilla shake haf smoke chili
8/18/2008 1:18 PM
Catherine Finn said…
Getting hit on by the guys behind the counter, how whenever you walk in there always seems to be the best music playing, how getting Ben's at the end (or the beginning) of any given night just seems to make it a better time. Being able to tell anyone where I live by saying, "You know where Ben's is? I live around the corner."
8/18/2008 1:20 PM
Anonymous said…
my British boyfriend still talks about the half smoke he had from Ben's over a year ago...
8/18/2008 1:28 PM
Kevin said…
i will eat anything ben's puts chili and cheese on.
8/18/2008 1:30 PM
Anonymous said…
Chili-Cheese fries and the chili half smoke... and a strawberry milkshake, if I wanna be healthy ;)
8/18/2008 1:48 PM
Unknown said…
Walking past the long late night line and finding tables open in the back...
8/18/2008 1:53 PM
Unknown said…
chili cheese half smoke, chili cheese fries, and a vanilla milkshake ... yummmm :)
8/18/2008 2:36 PM
Anonymous said…
How poor decisions are sometimes the best: chili cheese dog, chili cheese burger, chili cheese fries. Why choose one when you can have it all?
8/18/2008 2:47 PM
Wolly and the Teev said…
I love that Ben's is one of the rare places in DC where everyone is welcome and no eyebrows are raised of blacks, whites, old people, young people, hipsters, and homeless all eat together.
8/18/2008 3:09 PM
cornflakegirl said…
Cheese fries and bright lights--what more could you ask for.
8/18/2008 3:38 PM
Shaw Rez said…
My first Ben's experience was with you, your future husband and a slew of others back in 2000!

A somewhat regular late night stop for me today, I usually get a half smoke all the way add cheese, a side of chili cheese fries, and a morning of regret for the late night caloric consumption.
8/18/2008 3:46 PM
Amanda said…
As a vegetarian, I can appreciate from afar the dishes others have listed, but am most in love with the fact that Ben's offers a veggie option! :)
8/18/2008 3:56 PM
dmosones said…
Happy 50th Ben's! 2 half smokes and chili cheese fries please!
8/18/2008 4:11 PM
K-Simp said…
Chili half-smoke all the way-Chili-cheese fries-Coke!!
8/18/2008 4:29 PM
Diplopotamus said…
Chili Cheese Half-smoke (mustard, no onions), chili cheese fries, and a chocolate milkshake.

Holy crap, I'm going to bens right now.
8/18/2008 5:44 PM
Anonymous said…
A chili half smoke (with onions) and chili cheese fries coupled with a real Coke. Why even bother with Diet Coke at that point. Deeeeelcious.
8/18/2008 6:45 PM
Danielle said…
A half-smoke with chili, cheese, and onions along with an order of fries after a good night of drinking. YUMMY!
8/18/2008 9:58 PM
Anonymous said…
Hi,

I grew up in Washington and spent a lot of time walking from home (upper 14th Street) to downtown. Ben's was a landmark marking halfway to downtown or home and a good place to have a soda when I could afford one. My first fish sandwich with bones was at Ben's. I still crave them.

Sharon Taft
8/19/2008 9:34 AM
Anonymous said…
half smoke and chili cheese fries...and a gym membership!
8/19/2008 11:15 AM
Robin said…
pancakes!!
8/19/2008 12:02 PM
Killer Mango said…
Fully loaded half-smoke with cheese and chili cheese fries, please! Sometimes...chocolate milkshake.
8/19/2008 12:38 PM
Craig Garthwaite said…
On a college football game day, nothing beats a chili cheeseburger sub with everything, cheese fries, and a hefty dose of smack talk with Maurice about the multitude of ways that Michigan is superior to Ohio State.
8/19/2008 12:54 PM
Anonymous said…
Ben's chili bowl is awful and overpriced. Their chili is probably the worst I have ever had.
8/19/2008 3:14 PM
Anonymous said…
I'm too amused that '6 dollar hot dog' above me rags on Ben's yet still comments to be entered. :) With most when I say 'Half smoke and chili cheese fries'! :)
8/19/2008 3:27 PM
David T Fischer said…
I live 2 1/2 blocks from Ben's and one of my (more or less) annual rituals is to go there after I vote (polling place is about 3 blocks from Ben's). I sit at the counter (where I always sit if I can), order and always land up talking about the election with other patrons (and Ben's tends to have a good mix of people there).

As a side note, I would encourage people to go there other than late on Friday or Saturday night. Ben's is a very different place during more normal hours.
8/19/2008 5:01 PM
Anonymous said…
Chili half smoke (with xtra onions) and chili cheese fries. Followed by a Lipitor, Maylox and Zantac shake.
8/20/2008 10:18 AM
Jeff_Fulcher said…
Last month, Maxim put Ben's chilli on their ultimate burger. I think they chose correctly!
8/20/2008 10:46 AM
Anonymous said…
Half Smoke (obviously) and the Chick Brown in the Jukebox.
8/20/2008 11:57 AM
Purva said…
I used to go often when I was working in the area on a construction job. Love love love Bens!! :o)
8/20/2008 4:33 PM
Anonymous said…
A chili cheese dog and chocolate shake...anytime, although at 3 a.m. it is pretty awesome!
8/21/2008 3:26 PM
TasteUSA said…
I would kindly pay you Tuesday..for a Half Smoke today!
8/21/2008 6:09 PM
Tim W. said…
I guess if a half smoke is good enough for Bill Cosby, Chris Tucker and Bono... it's good enough for me.
8/22/2008 10:42 AM
DC Food said…
half smoke and a shake... no question!
8/22/2008 11:41 AM
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