11/02/09

THE best chili EVER!

by CSMobileUser

My experience @ Mike's was great! The service was good, even though it WAS busy and the gal waiting tables was pregnant! The prices are reasonable and the chili IS REAL chili! Chili does NOT require beans. Real chili doesn't even have beans. However, they do serve their chili over beans and everything else on the menu. I discovered this place while my husband was on an extended stay @ the UW Medical Center and have been back several times since! In my opinion, its worth the 30 mile drive I make to get there! If you are a health nut, pass this one by, I'm sure the chloresterol content is high, but, when the recipe was first made, that wasn't a huge concern, I'm sure. The atmosphere is that of an old tavern. Its not a 5 star restaurant, it is a tavern that has been there for decades! It is a long time family run tavern that they have effectively managed to maintain everything the way it was meant to be! Mike's has been in business for over 85 years, they MUST be doing something right!

07/14/09

SOOO disappointed!

by abem222

This place was on Diner's Drive ins and Dives. I decided to check it out and I couldn't have been more disappointed. If I could rate it lower than 1 I would. I had half of a chili dog with cheese and a hand full of french fries. No flavor on either of the dishes. GREASY!!!! I couldn't believe that this place was still in business, must be due to the bar because the food is terrible.

• Pros: none
• Cons: food, cash only

07/07/09

Uh....NO

by stevebody

As a chef for over 30 years and having won well over 30 chili cook-offs, I went to Mike's with an admittedly snotty standard for what the word "chili" means. I learned mine in Louisiana and later in Texas and make over 2 dozen styles of chili, including my Triple-A cherry-wood-smoked Venison chili, White Bean Chicken, turkey, vegetarian with smoked barley, cabrito, armadillo, and even - on one memorable occasion - won a bet that I couldn't produce a decent chili from just alligator and rattlesnake meat. So, I'm conversant with the Art of the Red Bowl, let's say.

Under no stylistic flag I've ever found does a bowl of ground beef and chili powder, absolutely SWIMMING in grease, constitute "chili". I didn't even have to taste it. I ate the whole bowl, so as not to insult the nice staffers, but I could tell by looking. It had none of the light golden tint that cumin gives it, none of the aroma of any spice other than CHEAP chili powder, and no onions, peppers, or tomatoes. When I say "SWIMMING", I mean drowned. Lost at Sea. Inundated. My bowl came with a moat of red grease around the edges that was fully half an inch deep. I saw their hotel pan of new chili as I left and the entire top was NOTHING but grease.

I've eaten chili that was made on the cheap. There is a famous little hole-in-the-wall in Roanoke. VA called the Texas Tavern. Their chili doesn't even have a real sauce, chili powder, cumin, onions or anything else I identify as chili. It's got a clear, thick broth, uses canned pintos, and has tiny, scant flecks of burger in it. THAT "chili" is addictive. Absolutely compelling. Not gross and slathered with grease. People from AUSTRALIA come in there and take gallons home with them. I've watch it happen. That chili was cheaply made but not Cheap. There's a difference. I suspect all these glowing reviews are from folks whose parents served them Castleberry's Hot Dog Chili out of the can and that's what they grew up calling "chili". I had the same upbringing but tasted my first bowl at 13 and was hooked for life. If you've ever had real Texas or Southern chili, you'd never touch Mike's. I gave it two stars because I LOVE little dive bars and Mike's atmosphere will probably bring me back there someday.

But it won't be for chili.

• Pros: Divey ambience
• Cons: CHILI