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I've been eating @ Chuy's since the early 1990's and this is my favorite location in Houston. Many good memories here.
I love the Jalapeno Dip @ all locations.
While I like Iguana Joe's and El Toro better for overall value and casual dining, Chuy's is a mainstay in my list of Houston faves.
Boom Boom sauce!
Thats really the only reason I come here to eat. Otherwise, the atmosphere is fun and the staff is very friendly. I must say I dont think this place has the best food, but its mainly just a place to have Dot margaritas & catch up with old friends. The few times Ive visited this location, there was at least 30-45 minute wait to be seated. And there is a nice patio, but for some reason every time Ive visited, no matter what time, it was ALWAYS packed.
The parking here is pretty cramped and full most times I visit. It usually takes at least 15 minutes to wait for other customers to leave before you can find a spot, and there is off street parking too.
The prices are affordable, the food is ok, Ive never had a bad time when I visited.
Just keep my margarita glass full, chips & boom boom sauce coming and Im a happy customer!
With such fond memories of Chuy's in Austin, it's tough to give the Houston Chuy's just an A-OK. The unfortunate thing is, it doesn't deserve much more.
Although the food is fresh and the salsa plentiful, there are better Tex-Mex choices in town. The crowded Chuy's bar and long wait implies that there's something outstanding waiting once the buzzer lights up, but the food and service just isn't all that special.
Yes, the creamy jalapeno dip is good. The tortilla soup is also pretty darn decent - lots of veggies and big chunks of chicken. The tacos, enchiladas, rice, and beans are typical fare for a restaurant calling itself Tex Mex, which is fine, but it's not worth the wait.
If you're looking for some good Tex Mex food, a fun atmosphere, and a shorter wait, go a few blocks over to El Tiempo or make the trek to Ninfa's on Navigation.
Still great food and creamy jalapeno dip, of course!
This time we tried the Tres Leches (had to take it to go after our meal)! It's HUGE (see photo) and very good. I didn't think it would be at first, as it didn't look milky enough but I was wrong. It was delicious! Definitely enough for 3 people. Try it the next time you are there!
ROCK STAR PARKING! You know when you go to a place that has notoriously difficult parking (because… Read more »
OK first off this place has a horrible parking situation. I circled back and forth before finding a spot way on the other side. Next, this place is quite popular so the wait can be pretty long once you make it inside.
I was first introduced to this local chain in Austin, where we would joke about either going to Rudy's, Trudy's, or Chuy's. And Chuy's was usually the last choice.
Well the Chuy's in Austin was good but not great while the one in Houston shouldn't be as popular with so many other options around.
As far as the food goes it was your basic over priced tex mex. But I do vaguely remembering the margaritas were pretty good and for that they get 3 stars.
super cool interior, knick knacks, paintings, gaudy mexican interior
my dish was good: tortilla soup, great avacado pieces in it
super packed
more so a place to go with a group than to catch up with your girlfriend
Chuy's may be an institution in Austin, but in Houston? We have better options. However, if you're craving their "secret recipe" creamy green salsa, fruity drinks or a chipper server, it's perfect.
You can't really go wrong with the fajitas, flautas and mediocre fish tacos; giant burritos are gluttony (and guilt) in a tortilla, and their mini tacos hit the hangover spot. By the way, they have 16 different sauces!
If you have kids in tow, Chuy's is a lot more kid-friendly than most Tex-Mex chains in town. The atmosphere is kitchy, colorful and pretty much anything goes. As for service, something about their interview process weeds out all the Debbie Downers. They're all pretty much thrilled to be there. And why wouldn't you? All the free queso you can get? (I imagine.)
The only thing that bothers me about Chuy's is their silverware. It all comes in paper wrapping that reads: These utensils have been sanitized ... or something close to that. I prefer they save trees and just have servers tell patrons that. Go green, Chuy's--just like your salsa!
If you frequently visit or pass by this Chuy's, you probably ask to yourself, "How the heck can that place ALWAYS be so crowded?" Whether its 5pm on a Tuesday, lunchtime on a Saturday, or a late dinner on a Thursday night....you can bet that the lot will be completely full. The only time it isn't is for breakfast, but I'm sure that's only because they do not serve it! So here's my answer to the question...
Is it the food?
To be quite honest....I haven't the slightest. I've never gotten a meal there other than the mexi-cobb salad with the Jalapeno dip. The salad is superb, with chicken, avocado, lots of cheese, romaine, and some chiles that will put some heat in ya mouth. I always ask for more Jalapeno dip...er dressing...
Is it the atmosphere?
Perhaps...it's laid back, covered in cheezy Elvis paraphernalia...uh huh huh! And lots of people serving and eating Jalepeno dip.
Is it the margs?
They're not too shabby, but there are definitely better in Houston. I prefer the "dot", but only because I like to say "I'll have the Dot, please" It's cute, and when else am I gonna say that? The frozen marg with juuuuust a dot of strawberry marg in the middle compliments the Jalapeno dip quite nicely.
So then what is it?
I'm no expert on this matter....but I'm gonna have to go with the jalapeno dip!! Ding Ding...we have a winner! I obsess about it before I get there and dream about it after I leave. This may be the reason why I only allow myself to go to Chuy's twice a year....but I suggest that you go as often as possible....that is, if you can find a parking spot!
"Food," as Anthony Bourdain once wrote, "is tied to memory." For me the definitive Chuy's experience will always be tied to the Barton Springs location in Austin where me and some of my best life long college friends squandered many a Friday night discovering the wonders (and later the horrors) of tequila and eating our one night out meal before hitting 6th street.
The Houston location, although decorated in the same kitschy Elvis Presley theme as the Austin Chuy's, is probably not as good as the Chuy's of my memory.
That being said, I think the Houston Chuy's is still a very good place for Tex Mex if you are willing to put up with some issues.
The first issue is that if you go on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night expect the place to be packed and to have trouble parking in the relatively small lot. Expect at least a 20 minute wait on those nights as well.
Service is generally pretty good except for when the place is super packed and the servers are overworked.
Pricing is pretty reasonable and you can get stuffed with a delicious dinner with tip and drink for around 20 bucks.
I've eaten at Chuy's in Houston and Austin and Dallas for almost a decade now and I can tell you that the food is very good, with very few stinkers on the menu. The enchiladas, tacos and fajitas are all very well done but to me are not very distinctive. You can generally find better elsewhere. For example I think Pappasito's fajita platters are pretty much superior to the ones served at Chuy's. Some of the Jaliscan restaurants in town do way better enchiladas and tacos. The sides of mexican rice and refried beans are adequate but not especially great or unique, plenty of restaurants make the exact same stuff. The charro beans are a little better with alot of smoky flavor from bacon being added into the mix.
What really sets this place apart from other Tex Mex places is the Creamy Jalapeno (which is basically ranch dressing with chopped jalapeno bits), the rellenos and the green hatch chile dishes. The rellenos especially the shrimp and cheese stuffed one is my personal recommendation because its not commonly found elsewhere. The green hatch chile items are also very good, although they're not as authentic as certain places in New Mexico or West Texas, its actually quite deliciously close to the real stuff served in New Mexico and definitely sets Chuy's apart from other Tex Mex places.
As a bonus Chuy's is very vegetarian friendly and is a favored place to eat for Vegans/Vegetarians.
When I was living in Illinois, my parents knew that the first thing I wanted to do when I came home was go to Chuy's and order a 911 Hot Plate. I was starved for good Mexican food up there, much less good Tex-Mex, and Chuy's was the panacea to all that ailed me. Since then, their star has dimmed somewhat in my eyes. They took the 911 Hot Plate off the menu. You can still order it, but they're trying to phase it out for some unknown reason. Secondly, is it just me, or have their daily specials really nose-dived in quality in the past few years? They always sound delicious on the menu but are executed so poorly as to be laughable.
I do still love their Mexican Martinis and there really is no substitute for their creamy green salsa or the boisterous ambiance of the place, but another Tex-Mex idol has replaced them in my heart (I'm looking at you, Torchy's). Ah Chuy's, we had some good times together, but I think maybe we should just be friends. Our love affair is over.
I've been trying to figure out what the heck Tex-Mex is. It's just Mexican food. But say that to a Texan and they'll get all offended. So I went to Chuy's to figure this out.
Parking SUCKS (is that what Tex-Mex is?). One time there was absolutely no parking during lunchtime, so we left. And have fun driving along Kirby with all that construction. I finally came here one hot evening around 8:30pm and still had to wait for a table. I got the chicka-chicka boom-boom enchiladas because that name is so awesome (is that a Tex-Mex name?), along with a strawberry margarita. On a hot summer day, that margarita was a lifesaver. Food was good, nothing great, but filling and not too overpriced. The decor...Elvis (is that Tex-Mex?) and the atmosphere was just a bit too noisy for me, I had to yell over someone the entire time (now that might actually be Tex-Mex).
But I left this place with the same question I came in with. What is Tex-Mex??? It's just Mexican food!
I got 3 words: CREAMY JALAPENO SAUCE!
Delish!! Everything I have tried is on point. My son's fave place to eat. This place never disappoints.
This summer I spent a large chunk of my time traveling around for work holding auditions for the show I work on. One our our stops was Houston and since I'd never been to a major city in Texas before I asked the people in the city before (Kansas City) what we should hit up in Houston. Chuy's was billed to us as a "little hole-in-the-wall place" so we decided to check it out.
Hole-in-the-wall it is not. Chuy's is decorated like any other kitschy chain restaurant (a style I have to admit my apartment is heading toward). Not that there's anything wrong with that. So we sat down, had huge delicious margaritas and got some decent Tex-Mex.
The best advice we got about going to Chuy's was to order the "secret" jalapeno ranch dip. WOW. That stuff is addicting and delicious. I think they brought us 5 separate scoops of chips and more of the dishes of dip than I'd like to admit. Service was really quick and friendly and we had a great time. I'd say it was a good option for us just passing through town but I wish we had more time in Houston to try other places. Get that jalapeno ranch dip, Yelpers. Get it now.
Chuy's is a very good place. The food is fresh and satisfying. The many sauces are good, especially the verde sauce. Overall, a very good experience.
Love the feel of this place. Love the food and that dip... kryptonite i say...
very reasonable, great service, this is the only chuys I go to...
Did i say this is a great place.
There's Tex-Mex places, and there's Tex-Mex-New-Mex at Chuy's.
The addition of green chiles to items on the menu is great and rare in Houston.
What I like:
- always fun and satisfying
- creamy jalapeno cilantro dressing for chip dipping and salads
- chile relleno with chicken and deluxe tomatilla sauce
- you can get a combo of salad and a chile relleno !! *
- chicka-boom-boom enchilada
- queso with guaca and meat
- good service keeps the drinks filled and chips/dip full
* when your significant other asks what you ate, you can honestly say "a salad, honey"
What I don't like:
- too noisy for my taste, as I age and lose my hearing... eh?
- chips are too thin for my taste (although I know others love thin chips) ... but I like to pile on the salsa
- salsa is too watery
I have been to the Kirby and Woodlands locations, and the two are different in atmosphere (Kirby has more personality, but parking can be difficult at peak times on Friday night and weekends.
P.S. The humorous T-shirt collection on sale changes more frequently than the menu. By why mess with success? I'm not tired of the current menu yet.
The only thing I desperately miss since I've moved out of Texas...sigh. Try the chuychanga or the chick-a-chick-a-boom-boom...and don't forget the creamy jalapeno dip!! Droooooooooooool.
Being fearless, I am updating my review knowing I will get all sorts of flack from Yelp's biggest douche Clinton.
My boss suggested going to Chuy's for lunch yesterday for Cinco de Mayo. The place was packed (as usual) but we were seated quickly. Things haven't changed since my last visit, you are greeted by framed pics of dogs (personally and totally unbiased, my dog is hands down more adorable than what they have) and hub caps adorning the ceiling.
Our waitress, Holly was pleasant and brought out chips, salsa and drinks quickly. Being a green chile lover I ordered the chicken fajita burrito smothered in their Hatch Green Chile Sauce. The burrito came out drizzled in the sauce, so I asked Holly to bring me out extra. When I say smothered, I mean smothered! The burrito was quite excellent and the green chile sauce had a really great flavor with a slow burn. The rice was eh but I usually don't eat rice, it wastes space in my belly.
I haven't had a smothered burrito this good since my last trip to Albuquerque, NM. Chuy's HGCS is chock full of flavor with the right amount of heat. Really enjoyed this visit.
Great place to people watch w/ above average food. I have tried several different things on the menu… Read more »
Out of town guest + perfect weather = Mexican lunch on a patio, right?
Lured by the thought of decent queso, creamy jalapeno dip, and a patio, we proceeded to Chuy's. It was late, around 2 pm, so we were seated easily. Our server was bizarre, at best. Instead of serving us quickly, he took every opportunity to explain the intricacies of his job and the inner working of Chuy's and the staff...As he was describing the way their shift change worked, I finally said "That's great! Can we get that extra plate and more water?" It was the second time we asked. I'm going to give him a hangover pass from St. Patty's the night before. If he wasn't hungover, he needs to be in the nuthouse.
Anyway...our queso, guac, and creamy jalapeno dip were yummy. The red salsa was way too hot for every palette. I loved it...but, I'm not your typical blond gringo! After all of the apps, we split the special of the day, Chicken Enchiladas with an avocado/green salsa. We received flavorless, but moist ,chicken in undercooked tortillas with queso and pico poured on top. We didn't dare bother our server to correct it, it wasn't worth the battle. So we fought over the cilantro rice and refried beans and ate the rest of our apps.
Sorry Chuy's, I may go for Margartias and appetizers with friends, but I won't be back for lunch or dinner.
Of all the Tex-Mex options in Houston, Chuy's is my favorite. Even the husband, who does not usually enjoy Mexican food, loves it. The pre-meal salsa (and chips) is fresh and at the perfect level of spiciness. I love their enchiladas... completely filling - to the point where I can skip dinner altogether if I finish it for lunch. The décor of the restaurant is kind of crazy-fun, giving it a laidback, loud atmosphere. Definitely a fun place to get together, although it can get pretty packed at peak hours (that's a good sign).
Can you say CREAMY JALEPENO DIP??? that's seriously the best dip ever. don't waste your money on queso, gaucamole...just go for the free creamy jalepeno dip! I seriously can eat so much of this chip and dip that by the time I actually get my meal....I'm already full!
The pros is of course the dip, the great happy hour margarita price, and how cheap the restaurant is! You can easily leave with a bill for under $20 that includes margaritas (under $10 if you don't drink)! Don't forget to try their yummy chicken tortilla soup. Or that huge burrito (with queso sauce on top....yummy!) This is the perfect place for happy hours and for get togethers. The only thing that sucks is that fact that you cannot make reservations. You usually cannot get on the wait list either until at least half of your party is here. So try to avoid peak times or you might be waiting an hour or 2....but sometimes, it is just worth the wait!
Chuy's is one of those places that does the job, but its not where you go if you want good mexican. The place itself has a fun atmosphere and the margaritas are decent. The food on the other hand, leaves something to be desired.
Everyone raves about the "green sauce" at Chuys, but all it is is green sauce with ranch dressing. Anyhoo, I am not saying Chuys is the worst mexican in Houston... because its not that bad. If someone wants to go there I easily oblige. Its just that its not as good as some people claim it be, and for great mexican, atmosphere, and price... there are sooo many better choices.
I'd passed by Chuy's so many times and thought: "I should try that restaurant", that adding it to the things to do before I die list was inevitable. One checked off 999,999,999 to go. I had also heard about it a lot so, I just had to go there and check out for myself.
Parking there was horrible. I went on a Friday at noon and could not believe how hard it was to find a spot! Wow, that's one popular restaurant. We went in and I thought the decor of the restaurant was pretty "wild" kind of everywhere! I really didn't get what they were trying to achieve, but I liked it. We requested to be seated outside and sat by the bar for the 15 minutes we had to wait. The restaurant is pretty big, and the waiting times were only for the patio.
We were seated and the waitress immediately took our drink order. She was very nice. We ordered and the food took about 10 minutes to be prepared (not bad considering how busy they were). The food was very very good) but what really got me was the Deluxe Tomatillo salsa! Wow and Amen!! I loved that salsa! I was afraid I wouldn't be able to eat my enchiladas if I didn't quit eating chips and that heavenly salsa. Now I know what Ashely L was talking about on her review. I had a good experience there, cant really complain about a thing, and will most definitely be back. If you decide to go, just make sure you are mentally prepared to join the parking wars.
A recent visit to Chuy's sadly reflected the story of our economy. Used to be that the wait times were usually 30-45 minutes here....however, today, we had to wait zero minutes (at 6PM that too!!).
Thankfully, the food was awesome as usual!
Had the veggie enchilada, which was great!
So, lets hope Chuys will survive this economy. Its like a Houston landmark. (at least for me!)
Oh, their T-shirts are on massive sale (full sleeves 13$, half sleeves 7$)
So, go get some!
Creamy jalapeno dip!!! here we come! This place is great...I have never been disappointed in any of… Read more »
Sorry ... I just don't get it. I hadn't eaten at Chuy's in years and my dear out-of-town friend wanted to go so ... I thought maybe I was remembering too harshly. Nope ... it really wasn't good (at all) and for the life of me, I can't figure out why there is always a crowd and why people love this place so much.
I had the chicken enchiladas with some kind of special "sauce of the day" which was described as being a spinach sauce. It was actually a sickeningly sweet, very thick cream sauce with a few spatterings of spinach. And the enchiladas were made with thick, flour tortillas (not corn). Boyfriends fajitas were very average. The service was fine.
Great chips (available at plenty of places, though!). Cyclones is about a zillion times better (and with better salsa).
I'm really not going back now!
Oh the disappointment hurts. My buddy was in town and so I decided this could be a good spot to sit out on their patio and have some margaritas. I've never been but the reviews are pretty solid. The weather was perfect last Friday and outdoor seating was a must. We got here around 2'ish and it was dead but that was expected.
We sat down at a table in the corner of the patio. There were birds all over and that's where the trouble started. My buddy put his phone down on the menu but neither of us noticed that a bird had crapped right where he put his phone. He picked it up only to have bird poop all over it and now his hands. He went to the restroom to clean up. We were eating some chips when I noticed on his chair, there was more bird poop. Some bird crapped on his chair which then splashed all over his back. I was in tears from laughing so hard. Not once, but twice he has bird poop on him.
Anyways, I ordered a Texas Martini with Petron Silver while my buddy got some margarita with a floater of sangria. Mine was served in a martini shaker, but they ran out of caps. WTF? This place was dead and how could they have ran out of tops. Instead of shaking the shaker, I swirled it. I was told to hold it a certain way so that it wouldn't spill because the tops aren't that reliable. Nice move Chuy's. Get a shaker, put sticky liquid inside of it, and make sure it's a popular drink. As we were there, I watched and laughed at two tables that spilt their whole TX martinis out when they didn't hold the top.
This was the worst margarita I have ever had in my entire life. I have had some that I didn't like due to being too sweet, but this had too much lime juice or something. My first reaction when I took a sip was the same reaction a baby makes after trying a lemon. I was expecting sweet and pretty strong, but got bitter and hardly any taste of tequila. This was the first time I have left a margarita still full at a restaurant. I was so annoyed by the birds, the margaritas, and the salsa that I just wanted out of this place. We left money on the table and bounced out.
We went to another place for a beer to get the taste of Chuy's out of our mouths. I don't think I'd come here again, but there's always a possibility since everyone else seems to love it. But for now, no future plans or desire to give it a second try.
This is actually one of the best Chuy's outside of Austin I've been to, assuming you can beat the crowd. With that being said, its not something to automatically brag about. Since Houston is the Mecca of Tex-Mex, I tend to be overly critical of such restaurants. I want something different but still falling inside that fusion of the Tejano and Gringo we like to call Tex-Mex. I'm not asking for the servers to start wearing 15 pices of flair or anything like that, but I want a few new suprises on the menu or something of that matter.
--Fajitas--everyone's got them and Chuy's, while good, they're nothing special. Recommendation: Add a Cilantro-Lime Marinated Pork Faj. to the menu.
--Enchiladas--its the Tex-Mex staple, Chuy's has different sauces but so does Casa Ole (the Ole's are MUCH MUCH better.) Recommendation: Add more sauces that aren't so bold, such as a cilantro cream sauce.
-Salsa Verde-Addicting as hell! Mix Ranch, Avocado, and Jalapeno...there ya have it. Now you dont have to drive to get it! Recommendation: Don't change this at all!!!
-Chile Rellano- Deep Fried Poblano Pepper with your choice of filling, covered in your choice of sauce. Very hot, very good. Bring Prilosec OTC because you will need it. I recommend ground beef covered in Queso, topped with that amazing green sauce! Its a must try! Recommendation: Make sure you have a few Margaritas by your side, because it can get a little fired up!
Chuy's doesnt have bad food...its just all the same. With a restaurant with that kind of reputation I expect something to stick out from the rest of the pack, but they kinda just settle in. In light of everything, they do have great T-shirts for sale, which makes up for their culinary shortcomings...lol.
Elvis themed with hubcaps decorating the ceiling. Nice and eclectic I thought... BUT It was here that i was introduced to The Texas Martini.... yummmm.... I saw this place and thought it had potential, so i stopped in on a friday evening and looked forward to what kind of mexican food houston had to offer from a chain. The food? I've had better mexican on street carts. But the Texas martini? superb... lemme have another....
Fun atmosphere, and a really good waitstaff, but the food? it'll fill your belly, but it did help soak up that Texas Martini.... mmmmmm .... but if you want a real south of the border experience, I'd look elsewhere.
Do I come here for the food? Not really, although it isn't bad...just average, although I have yet to try something else besides their beef fajitas. I visit Chuy's when I'm in the mood for a fun happy hour. Their margaritas are awesome! After one or two rounds I'm good to go.
My favorite is the Texas Martini served in a martini glass, but they give you a shaker so you can pour at your own pace. I even love the jalapeno stuffed olive that it comes with. Their chips and salsa are pretty good, the salsa is always fresh, and their ranch jalapeno dip is spicy and addicting!
Every time I come here it's always busy and therefore expect to be put on their waiting list. Parking can also be a bit of a problem. Once you're inside you get easily entertained with people watching, and all the funky decorations. They also have outdoor seating which is nice to take advantage of when its a nice day out. Their staff is usually friendly and fast. Chuy's is always a good time in my book.
COME on PEOPLE! CHUY'S ISNT ABOUT THE FOOD!
even though the green salsa taste like its laced with a whole bottle of MSG and ohhh so delicious. and i know that they have a painting of good ole elvis the heart-attacking-rocking-love on the wall for a reason, because if you continually eat the food here youll not only have the same fate ole presley boy had, but your breath would be rank of salsa verde alla creme.
AND i am totally going to sound like a ranting flamer (not that theres anything wrong with that) but chuys is all about THE DOT!
GET IT. ENJOY IT. and dont complain about the food, cause tex-mex could only go so far.
and for the dude with parking and waiting issue, get a scooter and have a margi while your waiting for your table!
Oh how I've missed Chuy's and their chips and fresh,spicy tomato salsa and frozen strawberry margaritas that aren't going to knock you off your socks. I mean, normally I'd want them too...But when you have to drive ALOT in Houston just to get around because hardly anything is near by, well, let's just say you don't want to end the night with hand-cuffs.
Service was friendly, the beans were AMAZING and the green chile chicken taquitos were satisfying...but I wished they had been the regular corn tortilla flautas instead of the flour ones I was servced.
I love you, Chuy's.
I love this place! Their food is always delicious and their staff is always friendly. You can ask for the jalepeno ranch (it's off-menu). This sauce and their chips are incredibly addicting!
The downside is that there's never any parking, and the wait is usually very long.
Maybe my memory is wrong? I used to love Chuys and I swear there used to be three salsas. We went last night before Joel McHale (yay!). We got there around 5pm and there was already a wait. Ugh, so we grabbed a margarita at the bar (the Dot is the only reason I am giving two stars today). We were seated and it was as if we had stepped into some sort of wind tunnel. It was freezing.
Our server ignored us for a good 15 minutes, no chips, no salsa, no water...I hate that! He made a big production about subbing a salad for rice&beans, I don't care if I have to pay more, I don't eat rice or beans.
The Deluxe Tomatillo sauce was as good as I remember, but everything else sorta sucked. Especially the two salsas. Was much better when there were three...
Fairly good service - very crowded and loud! We were a bit disappointed in the food - thought it would be more Tex- Mex than it was. Good for a meal once in awhile.
Awesome place! The cream dip was fantastic. Great vibe and service.
Ok, Chuy's is good, but not great. I've had much better Tex-Mex in Houston and Austin. Also, I can't eat food that's too spicy, and I've had "mild" things here that are definitely too spicy for me.
However, I like it b/c the atmosphere. People are always enjoying themselves and it's just sooo tacky inside that it's fun. You know you like the kitsch, so you know you'll like Chuy's! :)
I'm gonna go ahead and say it. Chuy's is the best Mexican restaurant in the city. Their salsa is fresh. Their tortillas taste great. I've eaten a lot of Mexican food and I consistently enjoy what they put out. I think their Dallas and Austin locations are better, but their Houston locations won't disappoint. Chuy's is hands down my favorite Mexican restaurant.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THAT DAMN DIP?
SERIOUSLY?!?!
I love it and love to hate it!!!
It's so good, but that's it!!! The food isn't good, the service blows, the embiance-so not worth it...
but, I go back
for...what?
dip!
it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever said, but it's true. I spend money to go to a place I don't particularily enjoy, buy a margarita that I know will suck, listen to a waiter who I know will forget about me
for green dip.
hmmm.
i still dont understand why I do it...
until I get that urge and say, I guess its time to go back.
I suggest you just don't try it...
or you too will be sucked into this ridiculous wind tunnel that is chuys.
Chicken enchilada with green Chile sauce and taco were delicious! Chicken Taco Salad was pretty good as well... for those of you on a diet...
If your looking for modern ambiance, you won't find it here... instead you will find a colorful festive restaurant with lots of stuff scattered throughout the restaurant...
In the battle for the Houston Tex-Mex crown, Chuys falls a bit short.
Yes, I know they're the most well known, yes I know they have a pretty wild atmosphere, yes I know their margaritas are great. But you know what? So are about 5 other restaurants in town, except their food is better for the same price or less.
Chuys gets the job done. I'll give them that. But every time I visit I have a few problems with this establishment.
#1. The parking is shit. - Every time I visit I spend about 15 minutes driving around fighting for a spot in this "oh-so-crowded" lot. By the time I get inside I'm already fuming in rage and that leads me to #2...
#2. The wait is always long. - No matter when you go--it's packed. There is almost always, without fail, a 15 minute wait. There's people standing around outside or by the bar pissed off waiting for a table.
#3. The service is hit or miss. - Sometimes it's good. Other times it's just plain sloppy. Granted they are always packed, but there are really no excuses when other restaurants like Los Cucos always get the job done.
#4. The food is not as good as everyone tries to make you believe. - Yes, it gets the job done as I said before. It's not bad--and if you haven't been to any of the other top Tex-Mex restaurants, you may say it's great. But trust me, if you go to Cafe Adobe, Lupe Tortilla, El Tiempo, 1308 Cantina or Los Cucos within a few days of eating there--you'll be amazed at how much worse Chuy's food is in comparison. The queso, the enchiladas, the tacos, the burritos... doesn't matter. They're just not as good.
#5. I don't really have a number 5. - But my list looks better if I do.
There you have it folks--Chuys is good--but not great. So next time you get the "hunkerin" for some good Tex-Mex, I'd drive on by Chuys--and go a few blocks down to some place better--like Cafe Adobe.
Neighborhood: Upper Kirby
Category: Tex-Mex
Neighborhood: Museum District
Category: Mexican
Houston, TX
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Montrose
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Upper Kirby
Category: Mexican
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