Best chili in Detroit

[yorbacus]

With the weather being on the bad side of frigid, I have a hankerin' for a big bowl of chili. What is the best chili out there in the Detroit area these days? Thanks for your guidance!

[rtv]

chili is SO subjective!! but...a good basic chili can be had at "Don's of Traverse city" diner
in Wixom. just add a little hot sauce to your liking. have to agree on the chelli's chili
a real waste of time/money

[rtv]

oh..i forgot!! Diamond Jim Brady's in Novi !!

[Jim M]

I've often thought a big Texas chili parlor would be a hit in downtown Detroit or one of the suburban restaurant districts. Cheli's and the Loco Bar downtown both have poor chili. Heck, I've even been known to order chili at Chili's. I can make a mean Cincinnati-style chili--maybe I should go into business. The Skyline Chili outlet in Monroe bombed, but it was very poorly run.

[boagman]

That's what *really* bugs me about Cheli's. The food, even the namesake, is just lousy. Not inedible, but worse than that type of competition's food. It's pretty eye-roll inducing when I start to think "I'd rather be at Mr. B's."

I mean, it's a see-and-be-seen bar...I get that. But still: if you're going to *name* your place after food, you ought to be able to pull said food off in a decent fashion, at the very least.

[Funinthesun]

yeah i agree with that Chelis is garbage.

[momskitchen]

Another vote against Cheli's for me, I am afraid.

[Fibber McGee]

Make it another. Cheli's did not impress me. It actually has been marketed. I've seen it at Meijer.
I've always liked the Red Balloon in Southfield. From my experience bars do as good a job or better than most restaurants for this sort of thing.

[sazfed]

If you want a chili you can buy at a store, go to Costco and get Stag chili. I NEVER like to eat anything from a can, but this is sooooooooo good and kinda spicy! give it a try and i promise youll love it!!

[Docsknotinn]

The stag chilli is great for camp or even a quick hot dog but it's not going to work for a real bowl of chili.....at least not for me. Chili is one of those things that I'd rather make at home so it's exactly the way I like it.

[Funinthesun]

Yep...Chili, especially in Detroit, needs to be done at home, unless you're into terrible chili.

[charlesbois]

if Ann Arbor counts as "the Detroit area" then Tios makes a very good chili. Get it blended with beans and onions, as those don't automatically come with their chili. Tios has had an odd sort of renaissance in that they've done some new menu items and have started charging the moon for what used to be college grub, but their chili is consistently very, very good.

[yorbacus]

Ann Arbor definitely qualifies. I live in Canton so AA is very close. I've been to Tios a few times but never had the chili. I will soon, though!

[xman887]

hogan's on maple just west of telegraph is noted for good chili - both red and white varieties.

i had a bowl of white for the first time a few months ago and i enjoyed it.

[nliedel]

Chili is subjective. I don't like beans, do like ground beef. Some people wouldn't call that chili if their lives depended on it. Needs to be chuck and not ground. In this area (Ann Arbor), you really do almost have to make it at home. I've tried it all over and it's uniformly mealy with overcooked ground beef, too many beans and spice without thought to flavor.

I've not tried Tios though. I will give that a shot.