New Skyline Chili Locations in Cincinnati: Downtown and Covington

Cincinnati just gained two brand-new Skyline Chili locations within about 10 days of each other, and both are worth the trip. The first is downtown at Fountain Square, and it's the largest Skyline Chili ever built — nearly 9,000 square feet with a full bar. The second is a rebuilt location in Covington, Kentucky, replacing the oldest Skyline in the state with a retro 1950s design.

We're The Baron Group, and we sell homes across Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and Dayton, so we spend a lot of time walking these neighborhoods and watching what opens in them. A brand-new flagship restaurant taking over a dead storefront on Fountain Square is exactly the kind of local news that gets our attention. We toured both new Skyline Chili locations the week they opened, sat down with one of the owners, and tried the food. Here's everything you need to know about both spots — the menu, the design, and why locals on both sides of the river are talking about them.

The space used to be March First Brewing, and before that, it sat empty for a while as one of the more visible vacant storefronts on Fountain Square. That matters for anyone who follows downtown Cincinnati real estate. Fountain Square is the literal center of the city, and a dead storefront there is a bad look for downtown momentum. Skyline Chili taking over that space and building its biggest location ever is a real vote of confidence in downtown Cincinnati's foot traffic. For us, watching commercial space on the square get a second life is one of the more encouraging signs of where downtown is headed.

The size alone sets this location apart from every other Skyline in the chain. But the details are what make it worth a visit. Inside, an old, actually-used Skyline Chili kettle has been converted into a photo booth. According to Skyline Chili's CEO, that specific kettle cooked an estimated six million-plus pounds of chili over its working life before retiring into a photo op. There's also a full retail shop inside the restaurant selling branded merchandise — including, yes, Skyline Chili pool floaties. It's a small, weird detail, but it's the kind of thing that makes a chain restaurant feel like a destination instead of a quick stop.

If you're wondering whether the food matches the hype around the building, the menu here is where this location really separates itself.

What's on the Exclusive Menu at the Fountain Square Skyline Chili?

The Fountain Square Skyline Chili has a menu you won't find at any other Skyline location, and it's the single biggest reason to visit.

Alongside the usual three-way and coneys, this location serves Skyline Chili Dip potato skins, Chili Con Queso, and deep-fried mac and cheese bites with a chili dipping sauce on the side. There are also specialty pizzas, including the Skyline Dip Pizza. From the outside it looks like a plain cheese pizza. Cut into it and there's a layer of cream cheese and chili hiding underneath — basically a chili dip, built into a pizza. It's a smart move by Skyline Chili to test an entirely new menu at one flagship location instead of rolling it out chain-wide. If you're a regular who's only ever ordered the traditional three-way, coney, or chili cheese fries, this is the one location in the entire chain where you can try something completely different without leaving the brand you already know.

Now let's cross the river, because the second new location tells a very different story — one about history, not size.

This location has a detail no other Skyline can claim: it's the only Skyline Chili where you can actually see the Cincinnati skyline itself from the parking lot. The original store sign from the previous 53-year-old building was preserved and now sits inside the entrance of the new restaurant, connecting the new space to its own history instead of erasing it. Covington is the Kenton County seat, and this rebuild landed in a city that has quietly become one of the more active redevelopment corridors in Northern Kentucky over the past several years.

We sat down with the owner on camera to hear the story behind the rebuild directly, and it's worth hearing in his own words.

Gary's son, Drew, designed the entire space and oversaw construction, incorporating the original store sign into the entrance as a direct link to the site's 53-year history. Gary is a Kenton County native who got his accounting degree at Thomas More before opening his first Skyline Chili in his hometown of Independence, Kentucky. He told us he was eating Skyline two or three days a week during college and couldn't help but fall in love with the brand, eventually building a career around owning multiple locations. That's a real, local, small-business story sitting inside a national chain restaurant — a family business built on a food a whole region grew up on.

If you're wondering what Gary himself likes best about the new space, the design is the answer.

Gary told us his two favorite touches in the entire building are the cars featuring Skyline signage — an idea that came from Drew — and that S-shaped bar itself, which he calls truly unique among Skyline locations. The combination of the diner-era design, the preserved original sign, and the skyline view from the parking lot makes this location feel less like a routine chain remodel and more like a genuine piece of Northern Kentucky history getting a second act. Between this rebuild and the new flagship on Fountain Square, both new Skyline Chili locations opened within about 10 days of each other — a coincidence of timing that made for one busy stretch for the brand, and one great excuse for a two-stop tour.

Two Openings, One Big Week for Skyline Chili in Greater Cincinnati

Two new Skyline Chili locations opening within 10 days of each other is a big moment for a Cincinnati institution — one built entirely around scale and a brand-new menu, the other built around history and a family's own story. Whether you're a lifelong Skyline fan or you've genuinely never tried it, both locations are worth putting on your list.

We spend our days in these same neighborhoods — Fountain Square downtown, and communities like Covington across the river in Northern Kentucky — helping people buy and sell homes throughout Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and Dayton. Watching local businesses invest in spaces like these is part of why we love doing this work here. If you're curious about either neighborhood or thinking about a move to the area, reach out to The Baron Group — or watch the full video tour to see both locations for yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Skyline Chili known for?

Skyline Chili is a Cincinnati-based chain known for its distinct Cincinnati-style chili, served over spaghetti as a "three-way," topped with beans and onions as a "four-way" or "five-way," or piled onto a hot dog as a "coney." The chili itself is thinner and spiced differently than traditional Tex-Mex style chili, often with cinnamon and other warm spices, and it's one of the most recognizable regional foods associated with Cincinnati.

How long has Skyline Chili been in Cincinnati?

Skyline Chili has been operating for more than 75 years, based on the company's own reference to its beer and wine bar being a first "in 75-plus years." The brand has grown from a single Cincinnati restaurant into a large regional chain across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, while keeping its original chili recipe as the core of the menu.

Where is the newest Skyline Chili location in Cincinnati?

The newest Skyline Chili location is downtown at The Eateries at Fifth Third Center, 10 Fountain Square Plaza, in the space that used to be March First Brewing, between Potbelly and City Bird. At almost 9,000 square feet with 200 seats, it's the largest Skyline Chili location the company has ever built.

What makes the new Fountain Square Skyline Chili different from other locations?

The Fountain Square Skyline Chili has an exclusive menu found nowhere else in the chain, including Skyline Chili Dip potato skins, Chili Con Queso, deep-fried mac and cheese bites, and the Skyline Dip Pizza, which hides cream cheese and chili underneath what looks like a plain cheese pizza. It's also the brand's first-ever beer and wine bar and includes a retail shop and a repurposed chili kettle turned into a photo booth.

Is there a new Skyline Chili in Covington, Kentucky?

Yes. A rebuilt Skyline Chili opened in Covington, Kentucky, replacing the location that had operated on the same site for 53 years — making it historically the oldest Skyline in the state. The new building has a retro 1950s diner design, an S-shaped bar that seats 23, and the original store sign preserved inside the entrance.

Does the new downtown Skyline Chili serve beer and wine?

Yes. The Fountain Square location has a 20-person bar that serves beer and wine, which the company says is the first beer and wine bar at any Skyline Chili location in its history. It's part of a much larger buildout than a typical Skyline, which is why the company calls it the largest location it has ever built.

What should I order at the new Fountain Square Skyline Chili?

Beyond the traditional three-way, coney, or chili cheese fries, the Fountain Square location is the only place to try the exclusive menu: Skyline Chili Dip potato skins, Chili Con Queso, deep-fried mac and cheese bites with chili dipping sauce, and the Skyline Dip Pizza, which layers cream cheese and chili underneath the cheese. If you've never strayed from the classics, this is the one location built for experimenting.

Where should I park to visit the new Covington Skyline Chili?

The new Covington location sits on the same site as the previous 53-year-old restaurant, and it's notable for being the only Skyline Chili location where you can see the Cincinnati skyline directly from the parking lot. Since it's a standalone rebuild rather than a downtown storefront, on-site parking is available right at the restaurant.