World Class Chili

I went by yesterday to find this little gem had pulled up stakes and was closed forever. They’ll be missed.

I was fortunate to drop by on the last day of business as the owners are closing shop. Unfortunately;(
nice little hut on the southside of the pike place, the title usually steers me aways when they self promote to much. But due to heavy reviews and a Midwest size craving of meat and beans, i had to stop by.
Serious chunks of Texas ground beef, over pinta beans w a soupy consistency w tons and onion and cheese. Not my typically chili but I thoroughly enjoyed it. it was the chunks of meat
downfall:
$ 14 bucks, wow! has to be the relatively the most expensive dish I’ve tried here in Seattle.

WOW
My food was so bad, I threw most of it away. and I am not working much!
There are many options… I chose lentil chili on brown rice medium hot. I watched the very uninterested staff, who was working alone at a busy lunch time, pour tabasco sauce on my chili.
She didn’t even mix it into the clump of black mush on my styrofoam plate. In disappointment. I had read all the ads. WORLD CLASS CHILI! I chose to not get cornbread or drinks or anything else. I put a littl eof the processed dried out cheese on top and sat down with HOPE.
It was awful. $ 7.00 of awful with little work and I threw it away.

JOE IS A DOUCHE BAG. I was eating some chili today, and it was decent, kind of like Stagg Chili. The kind you buy in the can. Some kid (age 13 – 16) walks up and tries to take a spoon for his ice cream. And the owner rips him a new one. He offers to pay for the spoon, and joe gives him the price of $ 1.00 for a spoon!!! isn’t that crazy? After the kid had the spoon IN HIS MOUTH, joe made him put it back with the rest of the spoons… I’m glad i got mine before they all got tainted. Isn’t that like a health code violation? or maybe the chili sterilizes it.

Pike Place is such a maze. Even the map on
just shows what buildings places are in, not attempting to communicate the non discernable system of floors and hallways that the market entails.
I found the place finally. Its in the «economy market» which is on the north corner of Pike and 1^st Ave. Go in through the main entrance on first which will put you in the atrium where the Chili zone lives. Once entrance and one exit, with some seating all around, including the «atrium». There was only one person in front of me around noon.
I ordered the vegetarian chili, medium, with pinto beans «alaska» sized with corn bread to go. Food does come in a styrofoam cup as advertised. The alaska seemed small to me at the time but the medium was more than hot enough. I ended up chilling it out by breaking up the corn bread in the chili bowl. It was pretty good, and while I believe there were only four chili options, choosing your side and beans gives you some variety.
All in all, it was good. I can’t vouch for the taste too much as the hotness sort of burned it out of me. The large «alaska» wasn’t worth 12 dollars and change after tax though.

Every foodee should experience World Class Chili.
Joe is a one-​man show, and the service and quality (i.e. temperature) can be inconsistent, but heart is all there. Perhaps the only outlet for Cincinnati style chili in Seattle. Substitute the spaghetti noodles for shell pasta.
I honestly don’t how long this shop will endure (Joe is getting pretty old), so I implore all those that have the opportunity to experience it while it last.

If this review were purely based on the food, I’d give it 4 stars. The chili is very good. I’ve only been here once but don’t think I’ll be back soon, so wanted to rate it while it was fresh in my mind.
The chili is a little runnier than I’m accustomed to, but if you put enough chips or cornbread into it, it thickens right up. I ordered the Texas style with beef and both kinds of beans mixed in and liked it a lot — the flavors are great. And the corn bread is great. The chips are okay (Fritos would have been better). They serve a very limited selection of bottled beer if you like. They have cheese you can put on your chili, but I like a lot of cheese and they have all the cheese for the whole restaurant in a tiny serving container. I am not a chili pro from the South, but I know what I like!
But I can’t really stop with the food, can I? Here’s why I marked it down from 4 stars:
***The place is both expensive and a dive, at the same time.***
If you’ve read my reviews, you know I don’t have anything against dives. And you also know I don’t mind paying for a great experience. But not both at once.
World Class Chili serves your chili in a styrofoam cup with a cheap plastic spoon (not even a plastic soup spoon, mind you, for their soupy chili). The seating area is very basic and worn. The plastic trays are basic. It’s just not a nice place. Which is totally fine for a chili stand… I get it.
But it’s also $$$! They serve a Texas-​bowl for $ 5 («Soup is not a meal, Jerry!!!») and an Alaska-​bowl for $ 10, but to be honest the Texas-​bowl is small and the Alaska-​bowl is medium-​large. The Texas bowl definitely would have left me hungry and I am not a huge guy. With soda and tax I’m looking at a $ 13 lunch that is pretty basic.
What else? Well, the service was pleasant but slow. And the parking at Pike Place is lousy (of course, and also not their fault), if you have to drive. And they will serve you chili by the gallon to go if you have a party or somesuch — though again, it’s expensive.
Lastly, they do have Dr. Pepper which is a plus! But it’s $ 1.60 and they filled my cup ¾ full with ice so I got very little soda. Mixed bag I guess. :|

i always thought i wouldnt like this place but the veggi chili i had was killer these guys are the kings of chili. i guess i shouldn’t doubt the pros.

I used to like my chili the best until I went here and for once the name doesn’t overstate the business. It’s the BEST and while I haven’t tried the Texas chili, a friend who would know says it is authentic Texas chili. My favorite is the Cincinatti chili that has in it, of all things, chocolate and cinnamon and cloves. Sounds weird but must be tried to be believed. My daughter went for the vegetarian and loved it and my son had the Texas chili. There are 3 spicy levels and I guess you could call my little family the 3 bears, ’cause I went mild, she went medium and he went macho. I was so proud of my little man — even with tears streaming down his face he ate it up and gasped «it was great». Another weirdness is that the chili is usually served OVER something, like rice, beans or pasta. I went with black beans and rice and it was a great addition. You’ve gotta hunt for this place in the Market and it may not be the most inviting place, but it’s the BEST chili.