George The Chili King

Saw it on triple d. Checked it out. It was good. Had the chili. D the tenderloin sandwich. Both we were really good. Love old school places with lots of history. Good service and met George himself. Nice guy and enjoyed chatting with him.

Their chili was so gross. I thought it’d be the one thing I could count on, since they’re the acclaimed king of it.
Their service was sub-​par. They made us feel dumb for not knowing the menu items, how to order outside, etc.
They play the same episode of Diners, Drive-​ins and Dives on loop. Annoying and creepy. How did this place even get on the show? It must have been awhile ago. There was nothing positive about my experience here. Guy Fieri be trippin’.
If you do decide to go, get their tenderloin. I had a bite of my boyfriend’s and it wasn’t horrible. Just, please, do not get the chili.

Quite possibly the most disgusting food I’ve ever eaten. I ordered a bowl of chili and a small order of chili cheese fries. Considering the name of the establishment is the Chili King, they need to do some serious work as it was in fact the worst chili I’ve ever tried. Ended up throwing out both items as I couldn’t even stomach them. Those who know me know I’ll eat anything — not this. They asked if I wanted onions or cheese in the chili & I said yes to both. The onions (from what I could tell) were not even cooked, just dumped in the chili. However, if it were not for these I wouldn’t have been able to swallow the first 3 bites that I did eat as the chili itself was so gross.
I will say the following positive notes:
Staff was very friendly & the portions were large.
Otherwise, the restaurant looks like it’s likely in violation of many health codes, but this is a non-​industry bystander’s opinion just from what I observed. Unfortunately I didn’t look around until after I’d ordered. I won’t be going back, for anything. If they can’t make their namesake taste good I’m horrified at what their other food may taste like.

Gave it a second chance after my review got pulled and I only wish there was a no star rating. Over cooked tenderloin, slow service, filthy and cold onion rings. This used to be one of my go to places for a quick good meal. Looks like it’s time to find a new place for tenderloins.

Not a good experience. Ordered coney dog and requested cheese with fries and didn’t get cheese or fries. Ordered handmade tenderloin with onion rings and didn’t get onion rings. Daughter ordered cheese burger and fries and burger was raw and didn’t get her fries. Cook was making and eating food while making orders for other patrons.

Old school is the word for this place. Established well before most were born. The Fat Boy is a great tenderloin, get it will the chili fries. You can’t ask for anything more artery clogging than this thing. The staff are proficient at getting the food in front of you, but could be a bit more friendly to new faces. I have noticed the treat the regulars like family and the new guy is nonexistent. Hats off to George !!

I ate her for the first time and the food was alright. I had the burger and it was pretty greasy and sloppy. The place was very small and the service was pretty crappy. The lady who took my order seemed annoyed that she had to help me, maybe because her children were there with her running around everywhere. I might return but I would order something else because I wasn’t that impressed.

These places a few and far between. The original owner (yes, from the 50s) is still the owner, and is still making the chili here. The tenderloins are custom made for them, too. The food is cooked right in front of you. While a chili coney, large onion rings and a soda might set you back $ 9, you can spend close to that amount at a Hardee’s or similar with nowhere the taste and personality. This place seats 17 inside, and has outdoor seating in the summer. It’s a longstanding tradition in Iowa and one not to miss if you like old style chili dogs.

Everytime I see a Des Moines restaurant on TV (Dive-​in, Diners, and Dives) I marked it on my list and go as soon as I get a chance. George the Chili King looked like a great place to enjoy a meal. Parking is convenient because the entire lot is a private lot.
Upon entering we were greeted with a very old school style bar diner seating. The décor was non-​existent, everything appeared old and decades not renewed. The staff members were very friendly and treated us like regulars although it was our first time there.
We got the tenderloin sandwich, chili, and onion rings. The Tenderloin sandwich and onion rings were okay, nothing exciting in my opinion. The chili was very good! (As it should be for a place with chili in the name). They make everything in front of you so it’s kind of a little show wanting the cook prepare everything. Great prices!

This is the best «pork tenderloin» sandwich you will ever have.
Pork tenderloin sandwich and fries, that’s all you need to know.
If you are scared of a little grease and a lot of dirt, get it to go or have it in your car.
Enjoy.

This is the greasiest of the greasy spoons — and it is AWESOME! It is as real a place as you will find in all of DM. There is no other real deal diner type drive in thang going — it is over 60 years old and looks like it, It is not some douchy place full of slumming hipsters — it is a real greay spoon serving up gut bomb food to the masses of hard working folks of Des Moines. I am glad to go here and never miss a chance to get my burger on. Also — head’s up, Cochise — spend the extra 30 cents and get the FABULOUS made in-​house, never frozen onion rings — they are a wonder. The fries are good and all but if you like a crispity crunchy corn-​meal breaded onion ring, well, go get it ’cause they got it! Tell ‘em Mustapha said Halal!

This Divey Restaurant has been a family favorite ever since I can remember.
If you want a greasy, reasonable diner experience this is the place to be.
I personally always get the breaded pork tenderloin and crinkle fries but the onion rings are great too!
I normally go and pick the food up because the inside is not the most appealing and is quite small. They did however use the money that they made from Diners, Drive in’s and Dives to update the much needed counter space and clean up the restaurant a bit.
George’s was know back in the 40’s and 50’s for there car shows and the drive through diner experiences. You can still stay in your car and enjoy your chili dog, burger, onion rings ect. Plus if the weather is nice the servers (when dining in the drive through) will greet you on roller skates which is kind of fun.
If you are a neat or a clean freak I would not pick George’s but if you like trying divey greasy spoons this is the place to be.
I’ll admit I came here more often in my hungover early 20’s but still to this day I enjoy a little bit of George the Chili, just maybe not as often as I used to!

Went because of DDD. We’re used to looking past aesthetics for good food, but we were disappointed by both.
Service is slow. On the DDD clip they had roller girls running food. A girl who I assume is an employee’s daughter brought out our food in her pajamas.
Glad we chose not to eat in the car — besides the food being messy, soda was spilled all over the cup lid and there was mustard smeared on the bottom of the coney container. We were sticky before we even unwrapped our food.
Wife got the tenderloin and I had the coney. Tenderloin was «just OK», and I didn’t even finish the coney. The chili is pasty, bland and nothing like on DDD. After waiting what seemed like longer than necessary, our chili cheese fries were warm but not hot.
After all that messy food I asked if there was a bathroom to wash my hands. Yes, it’s the employee bathroom, through the counter and kitchen, past open tubs of onions, and the size of a coat closet-it’s weird.
The staff was nice enough. But I’m telling you, you’ll be disappointed.

When my family and I moved to Des Moines, we wanted to check out all the local restaurants that were considered by the locals as «must try’s» or that made our favorite shows; Man Vs. Food and Diners, Drive Ins & Dives being among them. DDD visit this DSM «institution» and gave it a rave review, so why not give it a try.
If I used one word to describe our experience here it would be «disgusting». Where is the DSM health inspector when you them? Here is what our experience was and every word is true:
We arrived around 8 pm on a Saturday; pulled in, turned our headlights on as the sign tells you to and waited. And waited. And waited. Ok — guess outdoor service only applies during certain hours (not sure what they are, but ok… inside we go).
We walk in and sit at the counter, then wait… and wait… and wait. The people working this place literally are arguing in front of us and one other guy, not acknowledging us at all until they were done. In the meantime, sit back and watch their episode of Guy Fieri’s DDD on a loop over and over again. I swear I was looking around thinking I was on a hidden camera TV show or something.
When we finally got their attention, we got the full monty — «What would you like?» «Where are you from?» «How did you hear about us?» «How do you like DSM?»… ummm can we just order please?
Cleanliness and hand washing is definitely not a priority in this place. Between the coughing into their arms, handling money at the register then handling buns and food without gloves, our eyes were popping out of our heads in disbelief. Again… disgusting.
Thank goodness I had my vitamins and a strong immune system, because it only got worse.
We ordered onion rings, two coneys, a cheese burger and tenderloin. All the food was served on wax paper (strange). The brat buns used for the coneys were thick and dry, so we tossed them aside. Unfortunately, given how runny that chili is, it just soaked into that bun and because of that, zero taste.
Now for the famous tenderloin. The woman shows me the frozen, homemade patty made «sometime this week by George himself». Ok, I’m here because of that show and Guy’s praise for George’s family recipe, so I guess I’ll try it. In the fryer it goes. When she pulls it out, the tenderloin is clearly overcooked; she tells us that she’s sorry and that it was the first time she made one. HUH? First time. you made … the famous George tenderloin???
We tried to eat it, but couldn’t and requested another one. She calls over a kid that looked like he was just changing the oil in his car wearing his Wrangler jeans. So Wrangler takes over and serves me a new tenderloin; while he cut the sandwich slightly off-​center (see photo), the sandwich was much better tasting.
On to the onion rings. Think of the outside of the onion, you know — that part you peel off and throw away? Well, not at George The Chili King! They use all of it and clearly, we received the outer layer because these rings were terrible (see photo) and cold.
The woman working here was trying to make our experience better, but frankly, this place was unbelievably bad. How Diners, Drive-​Ins and Dive could possible advise people visiting Des Moines to come here is insane. There are a lot of unique, local places to eat in DSM (dives too!). But I would never, never, EVER advise anyone to come here, unless new management that understands how to properly run a restaurant were to take over. Pathetic and … I’ll say it one more time… disgusting.

Honestly, I don’t know why this place deserves to be on triple D unless they paid to be on it. Place had 3 people in it at Sunday lunch, I ordered cheeseburger & onion rings that were average and the medium drink came with half Ice and very little drink which to me spells financial trouble. I really had high expectations from triple D but should have realized when I saw no one there was a huge sign.

Have a coney as it is what they are known for. It is served on a piece of wax paper which is odd. No plate or basket. Fries and onion rings once in a basket why can’t they put your coney in a basket. It would keep it together a lot better. It is a local favorite. Small amount of seating inside but can sit outside if you would rather. Friendly staff but it was HOT when we were there and their AC was broken. It is not a great sight to see your cook sweating over your food. :(Our meal was good and we would return but I would not order another coney because it was bland and not worth the mess. I expected more from their chili since it is the ‘king.’ I would add hot sauce if I were to order the chili. The fatman tenderloin was excellent according to my dining partner. Root beer float was good.

First time there, was so good and big that it had to be spilt in half. We will go again, even tho it is 2 hrs away. Husband loved the chili!

Stopped here as it was on Triple D.
We ate here on a Sunday for lunch, and the place was empty when we arrived. Sat at the counter and order. Service was quick and to the point.
The Coney dog was outstanding, and the onion rings are great too. The tenderloin sandwich was «OK», but not great.
If you looking for the cleanest spot in town this is not it. We noticed come chicken strips on the floor in the kitchen and the workers just walked over/​passed them.
But with that said this is a «greasy spoon» kinda place and it fit the bill.
We will return, but maybe on a week night.

Although I was a bit disappointed that the tenderloin was a pre formed patty and not the tenderized loin that was shown on the television episode of TripleD the food was good, the staff was very friendly, and the overall experience was a positive. The onion rings got the Mrs’s seal of approval, the Coney Dog was good, and the Chili was tasty (got ours with onions and cheese).

Step into the time machine, and travel back to a time where you watch the cook prepare your food, you can overhear the most interesting neighborhood gossip, and the food is just darned good.
At George’s, the food is delivered faster than at McDonald’s, is fresher than Subway, and has more personality and history than MaidRite. The chili is that deep dark brown color that tells you ahead of time that the flavor is more complex than you expect. And it is NOT over-​salted! Order the chili mac, and enjoy a trip back to simpler times. Order a coney, and you’ll not only feel 17 again, you won’t regret it two hours later, as you might when you step on the chain restaurant assembly belt.
Yes, we will be back. Maybe we’ll see you there!