For Bill Cosby, life is simple.

“All a man needs is a good woman and a half-smoke,” he told a crowd of about 150 people at the historic Lincoln Theatre on Aug. 21.

A good woman may be hard to find, but anyone can easily get a half-smoke at Ben’s Chili Bowl on U Street.

The restaurant, owned by Ben and Virginia Ali, celebrated its 50th anniversary that night with some of its most loyal customers, which include Cosby.

Ben’s Chili Bowl is well-known around town and on campus for its late hours and deep roots in D.C.’s history.

“The D.C. quiz goes, I say a word, you finish it. Wings and things, half and smoke, Ben’s and Chili Bowl,” said Cosby, the evening’s MC, about some of the restaurant’s famous menu items.

Whether students are introduced to “The Bowl” during Colonial Inauguration or they stop in to grab a bite to eat before ending a night out in the District like senior Lauren Rackowski, Ben’s seems to be a magnet for Colonials at least once during their time in the District.

“I didn’t know where we were going, I was just hungry,” Rackowski said. “Once we got inside and saw Bill Cosby’s picture on the wall, I knew we were somewhere important.”

Mahmoud Raya, a senior at GW, emerged from Ben’s just before the ceremony next door. “I just brought my friends here because everyone has to eat here at least once.”

The history of “The Bowl” reaches far beyond famous faces and heaps of food. Founded during a period when many establishments in the area were whites only, Ben’s opened its doors to the hungry masses, ignoring race, economic standing and social importance.

In 1958, the Alis opened the restaurant even when the national business failure rate was about 56 percent, according to the restaurant’s Web site. The restaurant also survived the tumultuous times of the 1968 riots following the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and kept its doors open during the “open-air drug market” of the mid-1970’s.

When the Metro’s Green Line was expanded through the U Street area in 1987, Ben’s was forced to cut back to just a two-person staff, able to accommodate only the Metro workers and a few long-standing patrons. The Bowl continued to push through the tough times and received national recognition when Cosby used the restaurant as a backdrop to celebrate his No. 1 rated show.

Since then, Ben’s has become a pillar of tradition, culture and inspiration for people and small businesses alike.

Celebration attendee Jamil Hameed, founder of HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) and Traditional College Tours, called Ben’s a “milestone in the city.”

“Ben’s success shows the value of small business in the community. It shows that a small business can stand the test of time if you put good management and service at the forefront,” he said. “And the star-studded pictures on the wall give it a sense of importance. And you know only Bill Cosby eats free, right?”

Gilbert Douglass, a GW Law School graduate from the seventies, said, “You can’t know Ben’s without knowing the history. This area has gone through a lot, from segregation to redevelopment. Ben’s has always been here.”

Cosby wasn’t the only celebrity commemorating the restaurant. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), musician Roberta Flack and local music performer Sage Infinity all joined in the celebration and performed on stage. Mirroring the history of the restaurant, the night was a collaboration of stars, patrons, memories and smiles.

The underlying theme of the night was the celebration of the relationship between Ben’s and the community. Businesses and residents alike have experienced trials and tribulations along the historic U Street corridor, with Ben’s serving as a central figure and a beacon of optimism that has helped so many overcome so much.

The final number of the night featured Roberta Flack singing “I’ll Stand By You.” It seemed a fitting metaphor for the restaurant that has stood by a neighborhood which has experienced so much while continuing to stand proudly.