Photo by Martin Locraft.

Arlington residents: If all goes according to plan, beginning next month you’ll no longer have to cross the river to get your half-smoke fix.

In September, the Ali family announced that they’d be expanding their legendary restaurant—Ben’s Chili Bowl—into Arlington at the beginning of the new year. Well, now that it’s the new year, what’s the status on Ben’s Chili Bowl’s Arlington location?

ARLNow reports that the Ben’s Chili Bowl co-owner Nizam Ali is gunning for an early February opening. “The build-out is going well but the holidays got us a bit,” Ali says. “Realistically we are about a month out, so early February is the plan right now.” Ali confirmed with DCist over the phone that, while there is no “hard date” for the opening, it will “probably open in February.” The new Ben’s is going where Ray’s Hellburger used to be, situated at 1725 Wilson Blvd.

Additionally, Ali is planning to open a Ben’s on H Street NE later in the year, which was originally scheduled to open in March, but Ali says that June or July is more likely.