Empress Chili

No longer on vine may have moved

Started in 1946 from a couple of Greek dudes was the beginning of sweet deal. People who are well traveled know what the magic of Cincinnati chili is all about. When traveling we all know to try as many of the cities well known restaurants as we can. The amazing northeast for the clam chowder, the west for the tender steaks, the south for great southern fried chicken and the list goes on. Yes we can find these meals everywhere. Every city has many special restaurants that make that particular city sweet. Cincinnati has many and one of them is the chili. Whether its Skyline, Gold Star or Empress or some of the other chili companies they are all amazing in their own way. My family has been eating Greek chili since 1946 and generation after generation it continues to remain the same. Hats off to the first, Empress Chili.
As my global travelers would say, Its a beautiful thing.
Harry Brett
:-) I almost sound like a food critic, lol

I think i have eaten at every chili joint in the city and empress is by FAR the best. There are some others that come close 2^nd but empress rulez! i just wish there were more locations…

I’ve tried Skyline, Gold Star, Dixie, US Chili, and Camp Washington; Empress is hands down the best in town! Richer flavor and more meat than the others!

I get it, after visiting this self professed birthplace of cincinnati chili, I understand now that Cincinnati chili has never been chili at all. This at least eats like a chili, but this was more like salty ground beef. Which is good, because I like salty ground beef, but this lacked spice or sweet. Then again, being southofthebord-​ican, spice has a completely different meaning. The grilled cheese was yummy, their fries were good, prices are decent, but still, sorry to offend the locals, but to a non-​native, this is just basic greasy spoon good. Which is ok.

Having lived in Cincinnati for over 10 years now, I’m a fan of Cincinnati style chili. Before eating at Empress, I didn’t have a favorite; I just liked the other brands. Now that I’ve had Empress, it’s easy to see why they’re the oldest brand in the city.
It’s not watery like Skyline; nor is it as thick as Goldstar. It has a great consistency, full of flavor and their pricing is amazing. Now that this location has reopened in Hartwell, I’ll be stopping by more often.

The reviewers here are spot on. The business info isn’t though. This particular Empress is in Hartwell, not Wyoming. Not a big deal though.
My wife and I just stopped in to check them out after they reopened under new management. The food was awesome and the chili was just as good as ever. Try their mushroom swiss burger. Delicious.

Christoffer M. does a great job reviewing the chili … definitely spicier than Skyline and not as sweet as Gold Star.
If he’s free, take a moment to ask the proprietor of this particular Empress about how the chain got started. He knows the story waaaaay back to the 20s (about how, for example, the original Empress took its name from the brothel that operated upstairs). Fascinating history.

Forget Skyline and Gold Star, Empress Chili did it first. And they still do it best, but with more. The chili itself is less sweet and more spicy, so you foreigners who can’t stand the sugary nature of all Cincinnati specialties, consider the Empress (if you can find one). They aren’t advertised, so you’ll just have to hope to see a crown while driving around town.
If you simply can’t stomach the [whatever spices they use] in Cincinnati chili, at least you can spring for one of the double deckers here, which were often a much-​needed after school snack for me on my return home. They aren’t piled especially high, but you can get your mouth around them (with a little effort) without crashing your car. And the proportions seem perfect; you can taste bread, mayonnaise, meat, lettuce, and tomatoes in each bite.
It seems like no one knows about this place, but it hasn’t gone out of business despite being as distant from the big two as Ralph Nader. Regardless of your political leanings, Empress Chili should get your vote.