Voted for the "way" option, as that's definately my go to move. But, I like all the options and will partake in all of them happily, except for the coney.

 

Never touch a coney. I like hot dogs. I love Cincinnati style chili. But if you put the two together you may as well be handing me poison. Don't know why.

 

Cincy chili by the bowl is a little tricky. I'll have it anywhere, but it's not really thick enough to work well any place but at Dixie. Frisch's chili by the bowl might actually top my Cinncinati "bowl of chili" list.

 

Gotta try a three or four way with mustard some time now. Never occurred to me, but I do like mustard.

 

You need to try some of the other mom-and-pop Cincinnati chili parlors if you want GOOD chili by the bowl. I'm a huge fan of Camp Washingtons if you want thicker and meatier Cincinnati chili. For me, it honestly beats out Dixie (which I absolutely love as well) by the bowl. Price Hill Chili and Pleasant Ridge Chili's "by the bowl" chili is none too shabby either.

You need to try some of the other mom-and-pop Cincinnati chili parlors if you want GOOD chili by the bowl. I'm a huge fan of Camp Washingtons if you want thicker and meatier Cincinnati chili. For me, it honestly beats out Dixie (which I absolutely love as well) by the bowl. Price Hill Chili and Pleasant Ridge Chili's "by the bowl" chili is none too shabby either.

 

Never been to any of the above, but I'll try to put them in my "to do" list. I've heard good things about Blue Ash chili as well, and now that there's an Empress in Florence I may have to give it a try again too. I've had it but it was years ago.

 

Problem for me is I like Skyline and Dixie sooo much that when it's chili time, it's tough for me to take another option.

Never been to any of the above, but I'll try to put them in my "to do" list. I've heard good things about Blue Ash chili as well, and now that there's an Empress in Florence I may have to give it a try again too. I've had it but it was years ago.

 

Problem for me is I like Skyline and Dixie sooo much that when it's chili time, it's tough for me to take another option.

 

Empress in Florence/Erlanger (the old Gold Star off Dixie Highway) is BY FAR my least favorite chili parlor.

Empress in Florence/Erlanger (the old Gold Star off Dixie Highway) is BY FAR my least favorite chili parlor.

 

Why didn't you like Empress? I thought it was pretty good and it's hard to beat their price of. 99.

Always preferred in coney form. But I do enjoy a six-way a couple times a year.

Why didn't you like Empress? I thought it was pretty good and it's hard to beat their price of. 99.

 

Think they just bumped em up.

Empress in Florence/Erlanger (the old Gold Star off Dixie Highway) is BY FAR my least favorite chili parlor.

 

I'll keep this less than ringing endorsement in mind, and likely continue to bypass the place then. Like I said, I used to get a 3 way from there occasionally for lunch, but it was like 100 years ago. I remember thinking it was fine, but not a Dixie or Skyline. I only popped in then because it was convenient.

Not being a local, I've struggled to understand the whole Cincinnati Chili phenomenon. My wife introduced Cincinnati chili to me while we were in college (my wife is a native), and seeing really thin chili without onions, peppers and hunks of beef served over spaghetti was definitely strange. That being said, while I wont touch 3- ways, I do think coneys are just about the perfect chili dog.

I had a chili sandwich for the first time in a few years last night. I still think they just taste like an incomplete coney.

Coney with everything is my preference.

Man, I will never get you natural born KY and Cincy area guys...spaghetti and chili? Ummm, no thanks. Just give ma a big bowl of Texas style (all meat, no beans) chili with all the trimmings...lots of onions, some jalapenos, maybe a little cheese thrown in, and some hot sauce. Yum yum. That's how I make it at home too.

 

A coney isn't bad once in a while to change things up, but I don't consider myself as eating chili when I do that.

I'll keep this less than ringing endorsement in mind, and likely continue to bypass the place then. Like I said, I used to get a 3 way from there occasionally for lunch, but it was like 100 years ago. I remember thinking it was fine, but not a Dixie or Skyline. I only popped in then because it was convenient.

 

Over a year later, but I think Empress has closed down already.

Over a year later, but I think Empress has closed down already.

 

Not anywhere near as good as it was years ago. I hadn't been to an Empress for quite a while so I decided to give a local one a try. Wow, I could not believe how weak and bad it was. Sad.

Man, I will never get you natural born KY and Cincy area guys...spaghetti and chili? Ummm, no thanks. Just give ma a big bowl of Texas style (all meat, no beans) chili with all the trimmings...lots of onions, some jalapenos, maybe a little cheese thrown in, and some hot sauce. Yum yum. That's how I make it at home too.

 

A coney isn't bad once in a while to change things up, but I don't consider myself as eating chili when I do that.

What you describe here and our hometown delicacy are definitely two different animals entirely. Both are good in their own way.

[h=2]Which way is best to serve Cincinnati-style chili?[/h]

To my dogs.