Cincinnati Cafe, 2260 Hunter Woods Place, Reston, VA, 703-715-2500 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Recommended by a reader as the closest we have to the real thing. I am not sure they are still open.
Hard Times Cafe, web site, 1404 King Street, Alexandria, VA, 703-837-0050; 3028 Wilson Blvd., Clarendon, Arlington, VA, 703-528-2233; 1117 Nelson Street, Rockville, MD, 301-294-9720; 394 Elden Street, Herndon, VA, 703-318-8941; and others; usually open. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Chili up to five different ways, Texas and Cincinnati style, tasty and cheap. That being said, the tastes are blander than they used to be. Not up to the quality level in southern Ohio, but then again what is? Purists will never be happy here.