Ben's Chili Bowl Opens New D.C. Location

Ben's Chili Bowl is opening a new Washington, D.C., location on July 8. It will be the chain's second full restaurant besides the original location on U Street.

The new outpost will be located at 1001 H Street NE, between 10th Street and H Street in Northeast D.C. A grand opening ceremony is set to take place at 11 a.m., and there will be an official ribbon cutting.

Customers can expect staples like the half-smoke and milkshakes, but this location will also have a soft serve ice cream machine. There will eventually be a sidewalk patio with outdoor seating and an upstairs bar.

The Ben's Chili Bowl owners are known to have ties with Bill Cosby, for whom the original chili half-smoke is named, but apparently this new location is keeping its distance from him.

Cosby, who admitted to drugging and sexually assaulting women, used to be in attendance at restaurant openings, but there was no mention of whether he would be there this time around.

Sonya Ali, co-owner of Ben's Chili Bowl with her husband Nizam, told The Washington Post: "We're going to embrace the community. We're very excited to go over there."

Ben's Chili Bowl also has locations in Arlington, Nationals Park, FedEx Field, and Reagan National Airport.