Viking Chili Bowl

Visited: Too Many Times to Count

The Chili Bowl is within a two minute drive from my office so I find myself frequenting this place more times than I care to admit.  It appears to be a hangout for old codgers (...and just what is a codger, you may ask?  Obviously, one who codges...duh!) so my patronage thus gives me reason to worry that I myself am in danger of gaining membership into the codger fraternity. (The initiation ritual is troubling, I hear.  All that chugging of prune juice...)

First of all, don't go to the Chili Bowl expecting gourmet food... you won't get it.  Don't go to the Chili Bowl expecting sophisticated service... you won't get that either.

However, if you want huge volumes of food for a relatively low cost served by those who eventually know what you're going to order long before you even do because they have been working there since the dawn of time, then you'll enjoy your experience at the Chili Bowl.  I seem to gravitate toward the bacon/turkey on a croissant sandwich, 'cause after all, anything is good with bacon on it.  You can get it with soup and french fries to boot, in reality way too much food for lunch.  In general, the soups are quite tasty and filling.  You'll find an expansive menu, causing one to ponder the size of the freezer required to maintain an inventory large enough to service such a vast array of choices.

Breakfast:  Ahh, here is where they shine.  I will go out on a limb and say that the Viking Chili Bowl has the very best pancakes in town... maybe in the whole world.  They have great hash browns, they actually follow your orders regarding how you want your eggs cooked, and they have pretty good coffee.

It seems certain restaurants in Valparaiso have a penchant for wall murals and the Chili Bowl is no exception.  Some are good, executed with taste and skill.  These are not.  Sorry to the artist, but tacky, tacky, tacky.  The stains in the ceiling tiles need to be repaired as well.  Hey, I'm just telling it like it is.

Would I go back?  Yeah, see you there tomorrow.

Value:           9 out of 10   Lots of food, not lots of cash
Food:           7 out of 10   But not fancy-shmancy
Ambiance:    5 out of 10    Lose the murals, then we'll talk
Service:        9 out of 10    Friendly & they keep the coffee a-comin'
Cleanliness:   6 out of 10   Could use a bit more diligence

Viking Chili Bowl
105 U. S. Highway 30
Valparaiso, IN
219-462-0800