American Eats: Washington. Mike's Chili Parlor

If you hadn’t known, you would have left the place.

Mike’s Chili Parlor in the Ballard Neighborhood of Seattle was not the sort of polace tht looked all that appetizing on the outside. A stout brick building, with nenon signage that spoke the longevity of this institution. Even once you walked inside, you got the sense thta this place had seen some stuff.

The smell was….not great. The place smelled of urine. The bathrooms looked like they had been untouched for a while. The wood paneling was a relic from the 70’s.

Had this place not recently been on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, I’d have never showed up, much less stayed and actually eaten there.

But the chili. The chili was out of this world. I got the classic setup for chili; chili dogs. And they were just delicious. The flavors and textures of their chili blended perfectly with the bun and the dog itself.

It’s been 15 years since I have been there. I don’t know what it’s like now. But it’s still open, as it has been for 100 years. And if you are adventurous, it’s worth the trip to Ballard to experience the flavor at Seattle’s oldest chili joint.

Mike’s Chili Parlor
1447 NW Ballard Way
Seattle, WA